The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than the Water of the Womb
by Umiray
Summary: Scorpius Malfoy loved his family, but he despised their beliefs, the way they viewed the world and other people. So when two kind-hearted cousins offered him their friendship, depite him being a Malfoy, he thought it was too good to be true. That the son and niece of the famous Harry Potter didn't hate him instantly amazed Scorpius. Especially the boy, Albus... MATURE AP/SM
1. The first meeting

**Soooo children, I am back! Seems like it's been years since my last post, huh? Well, that's because it** ** _has_** **been years! But nevermind that, here is another wonderfully gay fic from the world of Harry Potter, which I obviously do not own! Enjoy!**

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The thick, white steam billowed through the air around the secret platform nine and three quarters, as boys and girls made their ways onto the scarlet steam engined train, waving goodbyes to their families. A small boy stood on the platform, only half listening to his father's words. There was a lump in his throat that he couldn't seem to swallow away. Anxiety bubbled in the pit of his stomach as he gazed up into the bespectacled eyes of his father, the exact startling shade of green as his own. He tried to focus on what his father was saying.

"-Hargrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up." The boy tried to nod, but his neck seemed too stiff to move. The question that had haunted him for months now was forcing itself unbidden from his lips. He heard the whispered words leave his mouth as though he was hearing someone else speak them.

"What if I'm in Slytherin?" said the boy in the barest of whispers. His father crouched down until his face was slightly below Albus'.

"Albus Severus," the man said quietly, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say-"

"-then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account." Relief seemed to flood Albus' whole body, warming him to the tips of his fingers.

"Really?"

"It did for me," said his father. Wonder filled the boy. He had never known that his father had almost been placed in Slytherin House. He felt infinetly better, and as he gazed into his father's face he heard doors start to slam all along the scarlet train, and parents were swarming forward for final goodbyes. Albus turned quickly and jumped into the carriage, and his mother closed the door behind him. As he turned around to face his parents and his little sister Lily, still too young to attend Hogwarts, he saw many of the other students' faces pointed toward his family.

"Why are they all staring?" demanded Albus as he stared back, his cousin Rose also looking curiosly at the other students gazing down the train.

"Don't let it worry you," said Albus' Uncle Ron, "It's me. I'm extremely famous." Albus laughed and his sister Lily and his cousins Rose and Hugo laughed with him. Then the train lurched forward and started moving down the tract. His mother and sister remained where they were, waving farewell, but his father walked along side the Hogwarts Express as it started picking up speed, his already untidy black hair, exactly like his son's, blowing around his face in the wind swirling around the train. Albus watched him until they rounded the corner, excitment mingling with anxiety. He was on his way. On his way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The boy turned around, brushing a strand of ebony hair out of his eyes, and his cousin smiled at him.

"Come on," Rose said with an encouraging smile, "let's go find somewhere to sit." The two eleven year olds took hold of their trunks and Albus' owl, and dragged them down the aisle, looking for a compartment with room for them. As they passed door after door Albus could see people staring at him curiously, whispering to each other as the two went by.

"Why do you think they keep staring?" he asked his cousin quietly, unnerved by all the eyes that followed him. Rose glanced over at the onlooking students and shrugged.

"Well isn't it obvious?" she said, sounding so much like Al's Auntie Hermione that he had to smile, "It's because you're Harry Potter's son, of course. He did save the wizarding world from the most evil wizard of all time! They're bound to be curious."

"Yeah, but..." replied Albus, starting to become more and more uncomfortable as they passed compartment after compartment of staring faces, "What does that have to do with me? They already know James, so why are they still staring?"

"Well," said Rose thoughtfully, "perhaps it's because you look so much more like your dad than James does. Oh, finally, here we go!" And she stopped at the door to one of the very last compartments. There was only one person within it, and small blond haired boy who was facing away from them, gazing out the window, his forhead almost touching the glass. Rose pulled open the door and the two cousins pulled their trunks inside, helping each other lift the heavy luggage into the overhead racks.

"I hope you don't mind," panted Rose to the boy who already occupied the compartment, "everywhere else is full." The blond took his eyes away from the window for the first time since Al and Rose had entered. They were the palest of blues, his skin as fair as a porcelin doll's.

"It's ok," he said in a soft voice like wind through willow branches, before turning quickly back to look out the window. Albus watched the boy curiously as they settled in, and his cousin started to chatter breathlessly. Albus only half listened to her, nodding whenever he thought he should. He recognised the boy as the one his Uncle Ron had told Rose to beat in every test, a few minutes before on the platform. Which of course she would, unless the pale boy was also a genius. Al wondered why his uncle had insisted on this. He must have gone to school with the boy's father or something, and they must not have liked eachother very much. At least, that was the only reason Al could think of for his uncle's word's.

As the train moved through the countryside Al kept stealing furtive looks at the other boy, who hadn't turned away from the window since they first entered the compartment. At around half passed twelve the door slid open and a smiling, dimpled woman looked in at them, a cart filled with snacks before her.

"Anything off the cart, dears?" Albus and Rose stood up, but the blond boy remained seated, still staring out the window at the countryside flying past. Albus bought some Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, a few Licorice Wands, and more than a couple Cauldron Cakes. He and Rosie sat down with their treats and began eating, Rose finally too preoccupied to continue her constent chatter.

Albus looked over at the other boy and said, "Hey, would you like any?" For the second time the blond boy looked back away from the window, his pale blue eyes slightly startled.

"Were you... Were you talking to me?" he asked quietly, his soft voice a little surprised.

"Yeah," said Al, smiling at the boy, "Aren't you hungry? I got plenty, if you'd like some."

The other boy stared at him for a few moments, then he replied, "Don't... Don't you know who I am?" He seemed worried as he looked at Albus, and before the latter could reply his cousin spoke up.

"You're Scorpius Malfoy, aren't you? I heard my dad say that was your name." The boy turned his eyes to Rose and nodded slowly, then he glanced back at Albus, looking more worried than before. Al couldn't understand why the boy looked so nervous, like he was afraid Albus would retract his offer now that he had heard his name. Al smiled at Scorpius, holding out his hand.

"I'm Albus Potter, but you can call me Al." The blond looked from the outstretched hand to Al's eyes and back again, then slowly he raised his own hand, hesitating inches away. Albus closed the distance and grasped the boy's slender hand in his own, shaking it with another smile.

"It's nice to meet you Scorpius," Al said warmly, then he waved to the food on the seat beside him, "Please, take whatever you'd like!" The pale boy watched him for a moment more, his eyes wide, then a small, hesitant smile crept across his face. Al smiled back encouragingly.

Scorpius picked up a Cauldron Cake and muttered quietly, "Thank you..." After that Scorpius remained facing them, listening to Rose and Al talk but not saying much himself. He seemed afraid to speak more, and Al wondered why. Hours later, when the sky outside started becoming dark, the compartment door slid open and Al's brother James poked his head in.

"There you are," the older boy said, "Just came to check on you. We're almost there, so you should probably change into your robes now." And then he was gone; clearly he had better things to do then hang around his little brother and cousin. The two boys pulled their cloaks from their trunks and changed quickly, (Rose was already wearing hers), their excitment building. A little while later the train started to slow, until it finally came to a halt in Hogsmeade Station. The three made their ways off the train onto the crowded platform, jostled back and forth as they went. The cool night air slid over Al's skin and he shivered.

Then a deep voice called, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Albus looked around and saw the familiar form of his father's old friend, Hagrid, towering above the crowd. Al grabbed hold of Rose's and Scorpius' arms and steered them through the pressing bodies toward the half giant.

"All righ' there, Al, Rose?" Hagrid boomed happily as they broke free and stumbled into the open space beside him. When Hagrid was sure all the first years were before him he turned and led them down a steep, narrow path through thick trees. Then they rounded a bend and gasps filled the air. They were now at the edge of a great black lake, and across the water, perched atop a high mountain, was a huge castle, it's many windows twinkling with light. Albus looked around at Rose and Scorpius, and they both smiled back, Rose excitedly, and Scorpius still a little hesitantly...


	2. The Sorting

The journey across the lake seemed to take an eternity, and also no time at all. Before they knew it Hagrid was yelling, "Heads down!" and the little boats were carrying them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff below the castle. They floated down a dark tunnel to a kind of underground harbor, and everyone stumbled out onto the slick rocks and pebbles. After Hagrid had made sure that all the boats were empty he led the way up a passageway in the rock, opening at the top onto smooth, damp grass beneath the shadow of the huge, ancient castle. The man walked up to the castle doors and knocked three times with his giant fist.

A moment later the door swung open and a round faced man stood in the opening, the light behind him casting his pleasant features into shadow.

"Ah, here you are! Thank you, Hagrid."

"My pleasure, Professor Longbottom." Hagrid winked at Albus and Rose as they followed Professor Longbottom into the echoing entrance hall and across the flagged stone floor. The noise of hundreds of voices came from a doorway to the right, but the professor led them into a small, empty chamber off the hall. The first years crowded in, Al being bumped against Scorpius and Rose. The cheerful faced man smiled down at them as they were pushed closer to him.

"Hello there Al, Rose." Professor Longbottom said happily.

"Hello, Professor! Our parents told us to send their love," Rose said breathlessly, her small face flushed with excitement. Neville Longbottom was an old friend of Albus' and Rose's parents; they had been in the same year at Hogwarts together. Proffesor Longbottom then smiled at the rest of the assembled first years, once they were all inside the room.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," he said warmly, looking around at all the small, upturned faces. "Before you can join the rest of the school at the tables for the banquet, you must first be sorted into your new houses! Throughout your time here you will be awarded points for hard work, questions answered correctly, and things of that sort. Everyone's points will be recorded, and at the end of the year whichever house has the most points will be awarded the House Cup! Just a little friendly competition, and it is my wish that every one of you will represent your houses with honor and dignity!

"Now, the Sorting Ceremony will take place shortly in front of the rest of the school. Take this time to make sure you're all of sorts. I will be back to collect you shortly, when we are ready for you. And don't worry, it'll be over soon!" With a smile and nod to Al and Rose he left the chamber, and instantly soft chatter errupted around them.

"Ooo, this is it," squealed Rose, clutching Albus' arm tightly, "We're about to be sorted! Oh, I wonder what house we'll be in, it's so nerve wracking! Where do you think you'll be placed, Al?" Al shrugged, his feeling of unease mounting.

"Where do you think you'll be placed?" Al asked, turning to Scorpius. The other boy seemed to wince slightly, not meeting Al's eyes.

"Slytherin, I suppose" said Scorpious in his soft willow's voice, still staring at the floor. Al got the impression that the other boy didn't like the idea of being in Slytherin House very much...

"Why do you think that?" asked Al, peering curiously at the blond.

"My... My whole family has been in Slytherin..."

"But, that doesn't nesessarilly mean you will be too!" piped up Rose.

"Yeah", Al added, "My dad told me that the sorting hat won't put you in a House if you really don't want to be placed there." Scorpious was looking more upset than ever. He was still staring at his toes, and when he spoke again it was quieter than even before. Al had to lean in a little to understand what the other boy was saying at all.

"Yeah but... I have to be in Slytherin. If I'm not, my dad... My mom especially..." He trailed off, looking thoroughly miserable. Al felt horrible for him, standing there with his slender shoulders hunched forward, his pale face forlorn. Al thought about what it would be like to have parents that cared so much about their child's _school House._ Al knew that his parents would love him no matter which House he was placed in, but Scorpious seemed just as sure about his parents' reactions if he weren't Sorted into Slytherin...

Al reached out a small hand and placed it on the other boy's shoulder.

"It's ok Scorpius, it doesn't matter what Houses we're in. It doesn't matter if you're in Slytherin, not one bit. I know you're decent, so what if you have to pick Slytherin? Merlin was a Slytherin!" Al said, just remembering at that moment that he had read that somewhere. He was abashed that he hadn't remembered that fact sooner. It would have soothed some of his fears about being placed in Sthylerin House that he had been feeling for the past few months.

Scorpius was looking at Al with wide eyes, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You wouldn't hate me? If I have to go to Slytherin?" Scorpious asked in a slightly quavering voice.

"Of course we wouldn't!" cried Rose, and Scorpious turned his shocked gaze to her. "It doesn't matter what House you're in, we wouldn't stop talking to you for a silly thing like that! You seem very nice, and sweet, and you definitely aren't a bad sort, I can tell. So please stop worrieing, ok?" She placed her hand on Scorpious' other shoulder and smiled at him. Scorpious looked in surprise at the cousins, then, hesitantly, he smiled back. Al beemed.

The chamber door opened and Professor Longbottom was ordering them into a straight line. Rose stood in front of Scorpious, her wavy, red auborn hair still a little windblown from the ride across the lake. Al stood behind Scorpius, his anxiety returning in force, his heart starting to beat frantically in his chest. He forced himself to take deep, calming breaths as they walked in line through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Al was momentarily dazzled. The hall was lit by thousands and thousands of floating candles, suspended in mid air over four long tables where the rest of the students were already sitting. Glittering gold plates and goblets covered the tables. Professor Longbottom led the first years toward a fifth table at the top of the hall, where all of the teachers were sitting. They lined up in front of the teacher's table, facing the rest of the students. Al glanced up at the ceiling. His father had described it to him, but it was nothing like seeing the real thing. The ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky outside, and it was a beautiful, clear night, the stars bright and many this far north. Al gazed at it for a moment, trying to pick out certain constalations, then tore his eyes away and looked back out into the sea of faces. He spotted his brother, sitting amongst his friends at the Gryffindor table.

Professor Longbottom had placed a four-legged stool in front of the line of first years, and on top of the stool stood an ancient, pointed wizard's hat. Everything was completely silent, then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth. Then the hat began to sing:

 _"Please do not be fooled,_

 _Though I seem old and thin,_

 _Please, all of you rest assured,_

 _I am anything but dim,_

 _For many years it has been my job,_

 _To tell where you should go,_

 _But why you shall end up there,_

 _Only you can know,_

 _Will you be in noble Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,_

 _Set Gryffindors apart,_

 _You may belong in Slytherin,_

 _Where ambission always grows,_

 _There, cunning minds are welcome,_

 _As Slytherins all know,_

 _Or yet in humble Hufflepuff,_

 _Where stay the just and true,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are loyal,_

 _Their hardwork shining through,_

 _Or perhaps in wise old Ravenclaw,_

 _You'll find your true kin,_

 _Where wit beyond measure,_

 _Means you're always sure to win,_

 _Though I still wonder if it's right,_

 _Now it's time to split you all,_

 _Just slip me on, don't be afraid!_

 _I'll tell you where you fall!_

Applause erupted in the hall. That hat bowed to them all and then returned to being quite still. Al could hear Rose's quickened breaths from the other side of Scorpius, could feel Scorpius' tense form next to him. It made him even more anxious still as Professor Longbottom started calling off names of the first years. One by one they stumbled forward, placing the old hat on their heads.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. "SLYTHERIN! GRYFFINDOR! HUFFLEPUFF!"

On and on until, "Malfoy, Scorpius!" Rose and Al smiled shakily at the pale boy, who walked somewhat stiffly to the old stool, like a man on his way to the gallows. He sat down and placed the Sorting Hat on his head; it slid down right over his eyes and the tops of his ears. For a long while nothing happened. Al could see Scorpious' knuckles turning whiter and whiter as he clutched the edge of the stool. The hat was taking longer to sort him than it had on any other student, and Al was starting to get even more nervous when the rip on the Sorting Hat finally opened, and it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

Scorpius pulled the hat off and placed it back on the stool as cheers issued from the Slytherin table. The pale boy glanced back over his shoulder as he walked toward his new table, an apologetic look on his face. Al tried to smile back as reasuringly as he could. He truly didn't care that the other boy was in Slytherin House.

A few more first years were called and then, "Potter, Albus!" Rose squealed and Al lurched forward, feeling disconnected from his legs. He sat down and the hat slid down past his eyes. For a moment nothing happened.

" _Ah_ ," Said a small voice in his ear. " _What a mind. So many questions. And talent too, oh yes. A thirst for truth, a desire to understand. But also plenty of loyalty, humility. Hmm.. But still, the need for knowledge is strong... Yes, yes better be_ RAVENCLAW!"

The last word was shouted to the hall. Albus was shocked. He took the hat off and placed it slowly back on the stool. The table second from the left was cheering him, and he stumbled toward it numbly. He saw his brother's stricken face from the Gryffindor table, and Al felt a pang in his chest as he sat down with his new house.

He was trying to let it sink in. His entire family had been in Gryffindor, the whole lot. A small voice in the back of his mind whispered, _Of course you aren't in Gryffindor, you aren't brave at all._ Al shook his head, as though to shake off a fly. He should feel more upset, but for some reason, he didn't. The more it sunk in, the more it felt, well, _right_. He always loved reading, and learning new things. He had spent countless happy hours alone with his Granddad Weasley, taking apart and trying to reasemble odd muggle contraptions. He loved trying to figure out how they worked. True, he wasn't quite as brilliant as his cousin Rose, she did indeed take after her mother. But she and Al had always been particularly close, probably because he was one of the few who could keep up with her, and weren't bored by her long winded explanations of new things she had just read about. As a matter of fact, Al kind of enjoyed her rants; they were always quite informative, and sometimes even very interesting.

Albus could feel himself relaxing. Everything was ok. He would do well in Ravenclaw, and his parents would still love him. His thoughts drifted to Scorpius, and he frowned. Why had the Sorting Hat taken so long to sort him? How was the other boy feeling now, sitting amongst the Slytherins?

"Weasley, Rose!" Al looked up quickly as his cousin rushed forward and jammed the Sorting Hat onto her head. Barely moments passed before the hat called, "RAVENCLAW!" Al clapped enthusiastically as Rose came to sit beside him, looking faint.

"Oh my goodness, can you believe- We're both in- Oh my goodness!" Al just beamed at her, knowing exactly how she felt. He was very happy that she had also been Sorted into Ravenclaw; for some reason it made him feel less guilty. Al craned his neck to look over at the Slytherin table, trying to catch a glimpse of Scorpius, but it was no use. He was just too small, and there were too many people, for Al to spot the other boy.

Finally the last person was sorted and at the head table the Headmistress stood up, survaying the students with no-nonsense eyes and a strict looking face. She was tall and lean, her hair pulled into a severe bun at the back of her head, shot through with much grey. She wore square specticles that flashed as she looked around the hall.

"Welcome," she said in a ringing voice when everyone had fallen silent, "to another new year at Hogwarts. I have some announcements to make, but I know that you are all hungry, so I shall save them until after the feast." With that she sat back down and suddenly the golden platers and bowls were brimming with food. More dishes than Al had ever seen covered the long tables, and everybody reached forward at once. After what seemed like and endless amount of delicious food, and then a whole pudding course after that, the plates finally cleared and everyone looked up in sleepy fullness as the Headmistriss stood up once more. Al was only half listening as she made the start of term announcements. He caught something about the Forbidden Forest being forbidden, but his mind was drifting lazily away. He couldn't wait to lay down and go to sleep, and then suddenly everyone was standing up and he was jerked back into wakefulness. As he and Rose were pushed toward the door Al looked around for Scorpius again. After a minute or so he spotted the other boy, a little ways away through the crowd heading for the doors to the entrance hall. Al grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her behind him as he made his way over to the pale boy. Scorpius spotted them and shoved his way through the pressing bodies until the three finally met.

"Hey," Al panted, "How are you feeling? Why did the hat take so long to sort you?" Scorpius seemed even paler than usual, and his small smile was tinged with bitterness.

"It wanted to put me in Ravenclaw," he whispered, "And I almost let it too..." A look of regret crossed the boy's porcelien features. He looked up at Rose and Al, his face almost pleading, and spoke again in a voice even quiter than before, "But... I was scared... I couldn't- couldn't let it put me in- I really wanted to, but my family..." He looked so miserable, his soft blue eyes overly bright. Once again Al felt horrible for the other boy. He could have been in Ravenclaw, with them, he had _wanted_ to be in Ravenclaw. But his family, his stupid, ignorant, pure blood family...

Al felt a wave of anger rise in his stomach that surprised him. He decided that he really hated the Malfoy's. It was just plain wrong for someone to feel like they wouldn't be loved anymore for such a stupid thing as a school house. He reached out his hand and again placed it on Scorpious' shoulder. He tried to smile, without letting his anger show on his face.

"It's ok mate, we understand. Like we said before, it doesn't matter at all what house your in, we like you just the same." Beside him Rose nodded vigarously. Scorpius looked between the two cousins and then smiled, relief shining in his eyes.

"Truly?" he asked quietly, as the masses of other students rushed around them, "You really don't care? I really do wish I was in Raven- That I could be-" His voice seemed to catch in his throat, and Al squeezed the boy's shoulder.

"Really, we don't care."

"Of course we don't!" squeaked Rose. The three smiled at each other for a few moments before a rough voice called out, making them jump.

"Hey you! Aren't you a new Slytherin? Hurry up, or you won't know how to get to the dormitory! Come on!" Rose gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh, Al, we're going to be left behind too, and we don't know where we're going, or the password, or-"

"Rosie, calm down," said Al calmly. Years of experience had taught him not to let his cousin work herself up. "We'll see you tomorrow, Scorpius!" And with that Scorpius made his way over to the tall, dark Slytherin prefect who had becogned him, and Al and Rose went to find the group of Ravenclaw first years. Al was once again overcome by drowiness, and he was hardly aware of his trip through the castle, up to a high tower, through a doorway that asked a question that must be answered, into a circular room with a starry ceiling, and up a spiral staircase and finally into a soft, warm bed...


	3. The odd friendship

The next morning Albus stood in the Ravenclaw common room, waiting for his cousin to meet him so they could head down to breakfast together. He gazed around at the large, airy room in wonder. He had been too tired the night before to really see the place, and he took the time while he waited for Rose to stare around him. The room was circular, with graceful arched windows framed by blue and bronze silk curtains. Outside the windows Al could see a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. The ground was covered in a midnight blue carpet spattered with stars, and the domed ceiling above was also painted like the night sky; almost like it was reflecting the floor. There were tall bookcases pressed agaisnt parts of the walls, and the room was littered with round tables and comfortable looking armchairs. In a niche opposite the door stood a tall statue made of white marble. It was of a beautiful witch with a sort a quizzical half smile on her lips, her long, gently curling hair flowing down her back, and a delicate looking circlet resting on top of her head.

That must me the diadem of Ravenclaw. Al knew that the real diadem had been distroyed by his father over nineteen years before, after Harry had discovered that it had been made into a horcrux by the late Lord Voldemort...

After a few more minutes, Rose came hurrieing down the staircase to the right of the statue, looking both excited and also a little frantic. The cousins made their way down to breakfast, trying to follow older students so as to avoid getting lost in the exspansive castle. As they decended the marble staircase into the entrance hall, Al spotted a small group of Slytherins exiting the door to the dungeons, Scorpius trailing along at the very back of the group, a yard or so behind the rest.

"Scorpius!" Al called, waving as the other boy looked over. Al took hold of Rose's arm and led her down the rest of the stairs and over to where Scorpius had stopped to wait for them. The other Slytherins were walking away, giving the two Ravenclaws dirty looks as they went. But Scorpius smiled as the cousins aproached, not seeming to care that his housemates dissaproved of them.

"Good morning!" said Rose cheerfully. "Did you sleep well? I didn't. I was so nervous about today that I was up half the night! Can you believe that we'll be starting classes today?" Al smiled to himself; Rose loved to talk. He was a little worried that she may annoy Scorpius, like she did so many others, but the pale boy smiled too, not seeming to mind.

"I didn't sleep very well either," he said quietly as the three walked towards the doors into the Great Hall. "The Slytherin common room isn't very welcoming... It's actually quite creepy, to be honest. There are these skulls all over the place, and the light's all green, and I kept feeling like the skulls were watching me all night." Scorpius grimaced. Al wasn't surprised to hear that the Slytherin dorm was unpleasant, and once again he was struck by how bad he felt for the other boy. As they entered the Great Hall the three looked around for seats. The eyes of those at the Slytherin table were not welcoming.

"Let's go sit at the Ravenclaw table," Rose said, turning away from the cold faced Slytherins. The boys followed her as she lead the way, and only a few Ravenclaws looked at Scorpius curiously has the three sat down, then they just shrugged and went back to eating. Once again Al found himself feeling happy to have been placed in Ravenclaw. For some reason he didn't think the Gryffindors would have been as uncaring. They hated the Slytherins.

Rose did most of the talking as they sat and ate, Al saying a few things, and Scorpius saying even less. But even so the pale boy seemed happy, glad to be sitting with them and not with his own house. After a little while a tiny old professor came down the table, passing out their new course scheduales. Al remembered that the miniscule wizard was Professor Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw house.

"Good Morning, good morning!" squeaked the small professor as he reached the three. "Here are your new scheduales, but wait- you aren't in my house young man!" Scorpius looked nervous as Professor Flitwick examained him.

"N-no Professor," stammered Scorpius, "I was sorted into Slytherin. I'm sorry I'm sitting at the wrong table, I'll move-"

"No, no, not a problem!" Flitwick smiled at the boy, "It's always good to see friendship amongst the houses! Just be sure to see Professor Chandani for you're scheduale before you leave. That's her, there, at the Slytherin table." He pointed out all tall, dark haired witch who was moving amongst the Slytherins. Her skin was a smooth, caramelly tan, and she had strong, proud features, and large, dark brown eyes framed by heavy lashes. She moved with an impirious air down her table, passing out the parchments in her arms. Al thought she looked like a teacher you shouldn't cross.

"What class does Professor Chandani teacher, Professor?" asked Al as he took his scheduale from Professor Flitwick.

"Already asking questions I see! Professor Chandani is the Potions Mistress. She is very strict, but quite brilliant. You will learn much from her if you try. But, the very same goes for all the other professors here at Hogwarts as well!" He chuckled merrily, "Such a wonderful place of learning! I look forward to seeing you in my class!" Professor Flickwick then moved along down the table. Al and Rose looked down at their scheduales.

"Ooo, look! It's Double Herbology first, and we're with the Slytherins!" Rose exclaimed, beaming up at Scorpius.

"Cool!" said Al, smiling too. He looked back down at the parchment. "And look, on Thursday we have Double Astronomy at midnight together too." A short while later, after Scorpius had gotten his scheduale from Professor Chandani, they were walking across the lawn towards the greenhouses. Professor Longbottom welcomed them all with his round, cheery face and arms spread wide.

When the lesson ended the three walked together back to the castle, then parted ways, searching for their next classes. Al and Rose were only a few minutes late, after taking a couple wrong turns along the way.

They made it to all of the rest of their classes alright, and before they knew it, the day was done. Al found all of his classes quite enjoyable, even the one taught by the ghost Professor Bins, who had died one evening long ago in a chair in the teacher's room, and still went to work the next day, seemingly without realizing that he was dead. That night Albus barely remembered getting into his warm, fourposter bed.

Thursday night found Al, Rose, and Scorpius in Astronomy class atop the highest tower. The three friends set up their teloscopes beside eachother, star charts in hand. As they worked they conversed in whispers, shivering slightly in the cool night air. The class quickly became one of their favorites, like a secret meeting they had once a week in the middle of the night. Though it was true that the three new friends always ate together, and spent plenty of their free times with eachother as well, the midnight class felt a little different. Charting the heavens while huddled close together quickly became Al's favorite part about hogwarts.

Before Al knew it the first two weeks were over, and Friday afternoon found him, Rose, and Scorpius crossing the lawn towards Hagrid's hut.

"Are you really sure its ok for me to come?' Scorpius was asking yet again. Al smiled at him.

"I'm sure, trust me, Hagrid is really nice."

"Yeah but..." Scorpius still seemed uncertain.

"It's ok Scorpius, Hagrid won't care who your family is," said Rose, "He'll see you're very nice, so please don't worry." They had reached Hagrid's door and Al knocked. Instantly, loud barking could be heard from inside, then the door swung open and Hagrid was smiling down at them. His long, dark hair and beard was peppered with grey, and he was wearing the same huge black overcoat he had been wearing for as long as Al could remember. The man was holding the collar of a giant mastiff that was trying to jump on them, tongue flopping about happily.

"Down, Roxy, _down_!" Boomed Hagrid as he held back the overjoyed dog. "All right there, Al? Rose? And who's this, then? Hold on- ain't you the Malfoy boy?" Scorpius nodded nervously.

"This is our friend, Scorpius," said Al quickly, "We told him you wouldn't mind him coming." Hagrid eyed the blond boy curiously.

"I'm sorry Professor, I don't want to intrude..." Scorpius murmured softly, looking somewhat distraught. Al looked up at Hagrid beseechingly, but there was no need. Hagrid's black eyes were already crinkled in a warm smile above his beard.

"Ah, no trouble," he said as he stepped aside to let them into his one roomed hut, "Any friend o' Al an' Rose is a friend o' mine! Come on in you three, make yerselves at home." Relief shown in Scorpius' eyes as he and the other two entered and sat down around Hagrid's table. Hagrid bustled about making tea, and set a platter of rock cakes down before the three kids, while the giant mastiff, Roxy tried to climb into Rose's lap, her tongue hanging out of her droopy mouth.

"Must say," said Hagrid once he sat down, "I'm surprised to see you three as friends. Well, not Al and Rose, obviously." He looked meaningfully at Scorpius. "Not tha' I'm saying ther's anything wrong with it, mind you! Just saying..." Scorpius smiled thinly down at his tea, nodding.

"Yes, I was surprised when they talked to me too, actually..." Scorpius glanced at his new friends then back down at his tea, a little flushed. "My family aren't- well they're just- they aren't well liked," he continued, growing pinker. "They aren't very good pe- I mean, well, they're..." Scorpius seemed to be struggling to find the right words, and Al thought he understood. The other boy was clearly very different from the rest of the Malfoys, and Al could only assume that his mother's family was the same. Dark wizards, pure bloods, ex Death Eaters. Obviously Scorpius knew these things, and dissaproved, to say the very least. But he must still love them; they were his family.

"Ah, well, ye don't have to explain yerself to me. I know better then most that people ain't always like ther families. Just look at me!" Hagrid said with a smile, "Half giant I am. Don't worry too much 'bout it me boy, looks like ye've found yerself the best friends you could. Ye can't help what family yer born into." Scorpius smiled gratefully, and the four spent the next hour or so in pleasant conversation, sipping tea and pretending to enjoy Hagrid's rock cakes.

The days continued to fly by, until before Al new it Halloween was over and the Christmas holiday was upon them. Al was excited to visit his family. He had gotten a letter two days into school from his parents, telling him how proud they were of him and assuring him that they didn't care that he hadn't been placed in Gryffindor. Al assumed that his brother, James had written to tell them the news straight away. James had seemed a little distant to Al, and the boy wasn't sure if he was just imagining it or not. It was true that they rarely got the chance to interact, being in different years and houses, but Al thought that the times he _had_ seen his brother, the other boy's eyes had seemed colder than usual. Al hoped it was all just in his head.

But when Albus was home his suspicions only grew. James was clearly avoiding him. That night Albus approached his father about it, as they washed dishes together after dinner.

"Dad?" Al said quietly, looking around so as to be sure they were really alone. Harry looked over at his son, his glasses slightly lopsided on his face.

"Yes, Al? What's up?"

"It's- it's James," Al stammered, his cheeks reddening, "I think... I think he may hate me now. Because... Because I'm not in Gryffindor." His father's eyes softened, and he put down the dish he was washing.

"I won't lie to you Albus," said Harry, smiling a little sadly down at his youngest boy, "James is dissapointed. Despite all of his teasing that you'd be in Slytherin, I don't think he really ever thought you'd be placed anywhere but Gryffindor. I believe he feels a little betrayed."

"What!" gasped Albus, hurt at how unfair that was, "But I didn't betray- It wasn't my fault- I _like_ being in Ravenclaw-"

"I know that Al, and I'm sure your brother does too. But you know how James is. Like I said, he's just dissapointed, he'll get over it, trust me. Just give him some time." Al went to bed that night feeling down, but still a little better. He did know his brother, and his dad was right; James would get over it. The next morning was Christmas day, and after all the presents were opened his Uncle Ron, Auntie Hermione, and his cousins Rose and Hugo came over for lunch. Al and Rose told everyone about what they had been up to at Hogwarts, Rose of course speaking much more than Albus, who didn't mind at all. He enjoyed listening more than speaking anyways.

"-and the three of us spend a lot of time in the library, and we've been to visit Hagrid a few times already-"

"The three of you?" said Hermione, "You've made another friend?" She smiled at Ron and Harry.

"Oh yes, haven't we said? We spend almost all of our free time together, we don't have many classes with each other though, since we're in different houses."

"What house are they in?" asked Ron.

"What's their name?" asked Harry.

"Scorpius," said Al, before Rose could answer, "Scorpius Malfoy. He's in Slytherin." He was watching the adults' faces closely, curious as to what their reactions would be. He knew that not too many people liked the Malfoys; he remembered his Uncle Ron on the platform when he had seen Scorpius with his parents.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione seemed a little stunned.

"What?" Ron blurted out, and his wife quickly shot him a stern look and he winced; Al suspected she had stomped on his foot.

"He's really very nice!" Rose said quickly, her voice a little higher than usual. "He's not like the rest of his family, he isn't into dark or spooky stuff at all! He didn't even want to be in Slytherin, the sorting hat almost put him in Ravenclaw too, but he didn't think his family would approve, you see. Hagrid has met him also, and they get on quite well! We've been having so much fun." She trailed off with a somewhat anxious smile.

"Well, of course," said Hermione at once, "I'm sure that if you're such good friends then he must be nice. We were just a little surprised is all, sweetheart. We're very happy you've found a new friend." She looked at Ron and he nodded too, following his wife's lead. Al's parents smiled as well, but out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw his brother look away with a frown.

"Al, we think it's wonderful that you three are friends," said Ginny, "It was very brave of you two not to just judge someone because of who their family is. Just look at one of the men James was named after." She looked over at her eldest child and he met her eyes defiantly. "Your Dad's godfather, Sirius was one of the best wizards we ever knew, and he was born into a family filled with the darkest wizards you could find. It doesn't matter who your family is, that doesn't mean you will be the same..." She was talking to everyone, but she stared again at James as she finished, until he finally looked away first, his cheeks a little red.

* * *

 **Well, there we go, end of chapter three. Don't forget to review if you're enjoying it so far. The darker stuff is yet to come, beware.**


	4. The first attack

**Stuff gets darker from here on out my children, beware...**

* * *

Back at Hogwarts they settled quickly into school life once more, days melting into weeks, which turned into months. Al, Rose and Scorpius were inseparable outside of classes, and it was common to see them together in the library, or else under some beach trees beside the lake, as the weather grew warmer. Before Al knew it the end of year exams were upon them, and then they were over. Al could hardly believe that his first year was drawing to an end.

The three were sitting together beside the lake in their usual spot, Rose with her back against the trees, reading, Scorpius laying on his back with his arms behind his head, gazing up at the clouds drifting lazily past, and Al watching a small group of fifth years throwing things into the lake for the giant squid to grab with it's huge tenticles.

"Can you believe," Al said, "that the year is nearly over? One more week and we'll be going home for the summer." He turned to Scorpius. "Do you think your parents will let you come visit us this summer?" Al thought he knew what the answer would be, and he was not surprised when Scorpius shook his head, frowning at the sky.

"I doubt it," Scorpius replied, "I tried telling them we were friends, you know, during Christmas break..." Rosie put down her book, looking surprised. Scorpius had never told them that.

"They weren't happy. Told me that I ' _shouldn't assosiate_ ' with families like yours." Scorpius sat up now, his pale face angry, "Said you were ' _beneath me_ '. Told me to find better friends." His left hand had found a stick and he snapped it in half, scowling. "Like I'd want to be friends with some stupid _Slytherins_! They're aweful. Just terrible! If only you could hear them, in class and in the common room. They're always on me about you guys, too-" He stopped quickly, looking embarssed.

"They bother you because you're friends with us?" asked Al, feeling alarmed. Scorpius was growing pink.

"Well, of course," said Scorpius, in a would-be casual voice, "they _are_ Slytherins, after all. Of course they're gunna talk..."

"Yeah, as long as talking is all they're doing," replied Al quietly, watching the other boy closely, "They aren't bullieing you, are they? Because if they are-"

"No," cut in Scorpius quickly, "no, they just talk. I mean it, really, I'm not getting _bullied_ , or anything..."

Al wasn't entirely sure that he believed the other boy, but he didn't press the subject, choosing to trust that Scorpius was telling the truth.

The next week passed in a blink of an eye, and then the students were climbing onto the Hogwarts Express, talking about their year as they wound through the countryside back towards London. Al, Rose, and Scorpius once again had a compartment to themselves.

"You'll write, won't you?" Rose was asking, smiling hopefully at Scorpius.

"I'll try," he said quietly, looking both nervous and excited, "Just be sure to tell the owl only to deliver the letters at night, to my room." Once again Al felt anger towards Scorpius' parents, and he frowned down at his hands.

For some reason the summer seemed to creep by, and Al found that he couldn't wait for it to be over, so he could return to Hogwarts. The months meandered along through the blistering heat, and he passed his time reading, or else hanging out with Rose, or visiting his grandparents. James still seemed to be distant, and Al was dissapointed that his brother hadn't yet gotten over whatever was wrong with him.

One swelteringly hot day towards the end of the summer holiday, Al intercepted James on his way back into the house, his broom on his shoulder, and his brown hair windswept from flying. He was a chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and he was very good.

"You're in my way, brat, shove off" James said flatly, but Albus didn't budge.

"What's your problem?" Al asked, his hands on his hips as he stared steadily into his brother's face. "Are you still upset that I'm not in Gryffindor?" James scowled, trying to push Al aside.

"Of course I'm n- Like I care you're not in Gryffindor! Good riddens! Gryffindor doesn't need people like you!"

Al stepped back, hurt, and James turned to face him, his cheeks burning.

"What do you mean, _'people like me_ '?" Al asked quietly.

"A Gryffindor wouldn't be caught dead around that Malfoy kid!" James spat, his hands clenched into fists, "Don't you know what his family's _done_? His father tried to hand dad over to Voldemort! His family were all Death Eaters and murderers, and you honestly believe he's ' _different_ '? How stupid can you be! He's just fooling you, you know-"

"And why," said Al coldly, staring with controlled fury at his brother, who trailed off instantly, "would he want to ' _fool_ ' me? What could he possibly have to gain from pretending to be a good person and being friends with me, huh?" The two boys stared at each other, their hands clenched into fists, until a small head covered in red hair popped around the corner, watching them curiously.

"I heard yelling," Lily said, looking back and forth between the two boys, "What's going-"

James shoved his way past them and up the stairs, and a few moments later they heard his door slam.

"What was that-"

Al didn't hear the rest of what Lily said, as he too walked away, out the still open back door and down to the little creek that lay beyond their sloping garden. He had never been so mad at James. He wanted to march back up to the house, straight into the older boy's room, and make him take back what he had said! How dare he imply that Scorpius was lying to him? Pretending to be his friend for some ludicrous reason! James had never even spoken to Scorpius! How could he just judge him, without even knowing him! A small part of Albus realized that his brother couldn't really believe those things, that he was still just upset about Albus being in Ravenclaw, but even still, he had no right to tell Al who he should be friends with.

Neither boy spoke to each other for the rest of vacation, and it was with relief that Al finally got back onto platform Nine and Three Quarters on September first. He squinted through the steam as his family crowded around him. James said goodbye to his parents and little sister, then went off to find his friends and load his trunk onto the scarlet steam engine. A minute later they met up with Rose's family, and the two new second years said final goodbyes to their parents and little siblings, climping onto the train. Al waved until they rounded the corner and his family was blocked from view.

"I wonder where Scorpius-"

"Hey!"

Al looked up and saw Scorpius struggling down the coridor toward them, dragging his heavy trunk along behind him. Al and Rose beamed at him, and they went in search for an empty compartment, which they found a little more than halfway along the train. After they were settled in they told each other about their summer, (Rose speaking more then both of the boys combined).

"Have you made up with your brother yet?" asked Scorpius after a while, his pale eyes on Albus. Al noticed that the boy was an inch or so taller than him now; they had been the same height when they had first met a year before.

"No, he's been completely ignoring me" Al replied, shaking his head. Al and Rose had wrote to Scorpius many times that summer, but Al's last letter must have reached the other boy too late for Scorpius to reply before school had started. Scorpius frowned.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his eyes worried, "it's my fault he's mad at you, isn't it?"

"Not really," Al replied sourly, scowling, "You're just the excuse he's using so he doesn't feel so stupid about still being upset I wasn't placed in Gryffindor. Or something like that..."

When the old lady pushing the trolly came by the three bought armfulls of snacks and spread them out on the seats between them, sharing their little feast. Finally Al sat back, completely full and content as they moved through the darkening countryside, back towards Hogwarts.

When Scorpius sat down with Al and Rose for the start of term feast the other Ravenclaws didn't even give them a second glance; they had all become used to the strange friendship. The banquet was as good as ever, and then it was over, and Al and Rose were climbing up to the high Ravenclaw tower, their feet heavy and their bellies full.

Once again the year seemed to fly by. The only differences seemed to be that the Slytherins were giving the three friends more and more grief, especially Scorpius. Al worried about the other boy when they weren't together; at night when Scorpius was forced to sleep in his dungeon dormitory, surrounded by skulls and hateful whispers.

* * *

The year passed quickly and the three made it through the end of year exams quite easily, and then they were heading home for another summer, sending each other secret letters over the months they were apart. At least, they were secret for Scorpius, who had not mentioned to his parents that he had not stopped being friends with Al and Rose. Again the summer seemed to pass slower than time did at school, and at last the three were reunited with eachother on the Hogwarts express once more, at the beginning of their third year.

"Come on," said Scorpius when he located the cousins, "I've already found a compartment."

They moved down the train, leaving Lily and Hugo behind in the compartment they had already settled in, with a group of other new first years. Rose chattered happily as they passed compartment after compartment packed with students. As they walked slowly by one door, a group of Slytherins within looked up, and seeing who it was, all began sneering and calling out. One boy stood up, a tall fifth year with dark brown hair, and a coldly handsome face.

"Still hanging around skum I see, Malfoy. Like your family hasn't been embarrassed enough!" The handsome Slytherin smiled mockingly as his companions cackled behind him. Scorpius' already pale skin became even whiter, but he looked back at the older boy defiantly.

"What do you care, Rosier," asked Scorpius softly, "who I'm friends with? And why should I give a rat's ass what you think about my family?" The older boy's smile slipped from his face, and anger replaced it. Rosier raised his wand, and as he did so Al reached for his wand too.

"You _dare_ ," Rosier hissed, "You arrogant little bloodtraitor, you _dare_ -"

"What's this now, what's going on here?" A pompous looking Hufflepuff prefect was hurrying towards them, his eyebrows furrowed.

"No magic on the train! Break it up before I dock points off of all of you!"

Scorpius stared at Rosier until the older boy looked away, stowing his wand and turning his back on them. Al thought he heard the boy hiss, ' _later_ '.

Al put his wand back into his and he and Rose followed Scorpius the rest of the way to the compartment where he had already loaded his trunk and eagle owl, Whisper.

"Who on earth was that?" asked Rose at once, turning worried eyes on Scorpius.

"Liam Rosier," Scorpius answered, clear dislike etched on his face. "His family are all just as charming, purebloods, like my family, and just as dark. His uncle was a Death Eater, back in the day."

"Has he been bothering you?" Al asked quietly, and Scorpius gave a bitter laugh.

"They all bother me, Al."

"That's not what I meant. Saying mean stuff about us is one thing-"

"It's fine," Scorpius interupted, his eyes hard, "don't worry about them, they just like to bark..." But once again Al found himself doubting if the other boy was telling the truth...

* * *

It was after one in the morning, and Scorpius walked alone through the corridor in the dungeons, having hung back with Al and Rose after Astronomy had ended so as to be sure that he didn't have to go back with any other Slytherins. Snow blanketed the grounds outside the school, though there were no windows in the basement for him to see it, and he was still cold from the outdoor lesson. Scorpius' footsteps echoed eerily off the stone walls as he walked. He passed a door that was slightly ajar. And then something was stuffed over his head and everything went dark.

Scorpius struggled to break free of his unseen captors, as he was pulled back through the door he had just passed.

"Incarcerous!"

Ropes wound themselves around Scorpius' slender frame, binding his arms behind his back and his legs together. The hands released him and he fell painfully to the floor, a moment later the sack was pulled from his head and he squinted in the wandlight directed at his eyes.

"Look boys, we've caught ourselve a little blood traitor."

Laughter bounced off the walls around the small chamber, and Scorpius struggled against the tight ropes, staring with hatred up at his captors. Liam Rosier stood above him, a sneer on his face. The older boy had been becoming nastier and nastier, and the previous night Scorpius had confronted him again, when Rosier had started mocking Al and Rose while the three friends had sat together in the library. Rosier hadn't liked that much...

Rosier smiled down at the bound boy, who looked back up at him defiantly. Scorpius refused to shout out, refused to give these people the satisfaction of hearing him call for help. He just stared at the older boy, hatred and fear mingling inside his chest.

"Leave his face," said Rosier with a smirk.

Scorpius closed his eyes against the assault; the small gang of Slytherins kicked him repeatedly, covering his body with bruises, but not hard enough that they'd break anything, and he would need to go to the hospital wing. Scorpius thought bitterly, as they kicked him relentlessly, that Rosier must know that he would rather die than tell anyone about what had happened to him tonight.

He wasn't a coward, he _would_ get even, without running to a teacher! Blow after blow met his body, but still Scorpius didn't cry out; he just bit his lip until it bled, and after a few more long seconds a miss-aimed kick hit Scorpius in the side of the head, and everything went dark...

* * *

It was friday afternoon, and the three had the rest of the day off, as usual. Rose had gone back to Ravenclaw Dormitory to take a nap, muttering something about how midnight lessons would be the death of her. Al and Scorpius teased her lightly as she went, Al claiming that she was an old person already. The two boys found themselves in the library, at their favorite table in a back corner, away from view. With a small thud Al closed the book he had been reading and sat back in his chair.

"Finished already?" Scorpius asked with a smile, looking up from his homework and eyeing to closed book on the table in front of Albus.

"Oh yes," Al replied with a grin, standing up and stretching his arms above his head. "It was very interesting, all about different species of magical fungi that only grow in the deepest caves around the world."

"Sounds captivating," Scorpius said softly, clearly trying not to smile. Al laughed and walked over to a place in the long bookshelf beside them to return the book to its proper spot. It belonged on a shelf that was just barely out of Al's reach, and he stood on the very tips of his toes as he tried to slide the book back onto it. A body moved close behind him and Al's heart seemed to flutter a little in his chest as Scorpius' arm reached up and the other boy pushed the book into place.

"Thanks," Al breathed, his cheeks feeling oddly warm, "I hadn't realized how much taller you're getting than-" He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the skin of the other boy's arm, revealed for a moment as he had raised it and the sleeve of his robe fell back. Scorpius lowered his arm quickly and pulled his sleeve back down, stepping away, but the damage had been done; Al had seen.

"What the hell?" Al's voice quivered as he stared at Scorpius' now covered arm, then up into his pale blue eyes. "Scorpius, what on earth-"

"It's fine!" Scorpius interjected, "I've got everything under control, ok-"

"What do you mean, you've ' _got everything under control_ '? What the hell is going on Scorpius! Who did this!"

"I... I hadn't wanted you to see..." Scorpius' voice was barely a whisper, as he stared down at his friends face, shame in his eyes. Anger flooded Al's stomach as his mind raced. He took a step nearer to the other boy, and Scorpius backed away again, until his back hit a bookshelf and he winced, his bruises bumping against the books.

"It was that Rosier, wasn't it?" said Al as realization hit, "Rosier and that stupid little gang of his. They cornered you last night, didn't they, after Astronomy while everyone else was asleep!" Al's hands were clentched into tight fists at his sides. He couldn't remember ever being angrier in his life than he was at that moment. Scorpius was watching him warily, his face paler than usual.

"How bad did they get you?" Al demanded, and Scorpius seemed to cringe slightly.

"Not that bad," he muttered, but Al wasn't buying it. He stepped even closer, and before Scorpius could stop him, Al pulled back the sleeve of the other boy's robe. A gasp escaped Al's lips when his eyes fell on the exposed skin of Scorpius' arm, before the other boy pulled free and glanced around them quickly, making sure nobody else had seen.

Hardly any of the boy's skin was still it's regular color; the bruises were so dense that they seemed to cover his whole arm. Al stood frozen in shock for a moment, his brain reeling, then he grabbed Scorpius' wrist and pulled him out of the library, down two corridors until they came to a boy's bathroom. After dragging Scorpius inside and checking that it was empty, Al locked the door, then turned back to face Scorpius, who looked warier then ever.

"Take off your robes," Al demanded.

"What?" yelped Scorpius, retreating a few steps again as Al approached, looking fierce.

"I want to see what those bastards did! Let me see!"

Scorpius stared at Al for a whole minute, then he slowly began pulling off his robes.

Al suppressed another horrified gasp as Scorpius let the black robes fall into a pile at his feet. The boy's normally porcelin skin blossomed with deep blue and purple flowers, overlapping each other and leaving hardly any patches of flesh unmarked. Al stared, his green eyes wide in his face, unable to look away from Scorpius' exposed torso. Al began to tremble, rage and shock moving through him in waves; he felt sick to his stomach.

"Scorpius," Al whispered, meeting the other boy's eyes once more, "We have to tell-"

"No, we don't!" Scorpius stooped stiffly and picked up his robes, drawing them back on with some diffulty. "We don't have to tell anyone. I don't want to tell, I want to stop them myself!" He held Al's gaze with a ferocity that made Al shiver slightly.

Albus supposed he could understand. Would he want to tell if they had cornered _him_? He would probably be too ashamed... Not like Scorpius, who was just mad, and wanted payback...

Of course Scorpius would want to fight; make them back off on his own. Scorpius' pride was hurt, he felt defenseless and weak, of course he wanted to fight back. To become someone they wouldn't dare touch...

Slowly Al nodded, gazing up the few inches into his friend's pale eyes.

"Ok," Al said, trying to sound more confident than he felt, "Ok, but let us help."

Scorpius opened his mouth to protest, but Al shook his head, continueing before the other boy could speak.

"Not help you fight, just, let us help you practice! We'll look up curses and jinxes together. Rose and I will help you learn them. Let us at least do that!" Al and Scorpius stared at each other for a few more moments before Scorpius finally nodded.

"Ok, Al, you guys can help me learn the spells, but I want to stop Rosier myself!"


	5. Pay back

Al decided that the time had come to try to find the special room his father had told him about; the Room of Requirement. He, Rose, and Scorpius located the corridor with the tapestry of a foolish man getting beaten by a bunch of trolls in tutus, after trying to train them to dance ballet. Al stared at the blank wall opposite the hanging, and concentrating with all his might, he walked back and forth in front of it three times.

 _We need a place for Scorpius to learn to defend himself. We need a place for Scorpius to learn to defend himself. We need a place for Scorpius to learn to defend himself._

Al knew it had worked before he had opened his eyes, for he heard Rose's excited gasp beside him. A door had appeared where before there had only been stone, and Al moved forward and pushed it open, stepping into the room beyond, Rose and Scorpius close on his heels.

As the door shut behind them the three found themselves standing in a classroom sized chamber. Bookshelves lined one of the walls, a pile of large cushions sat against another, and target dummies stood before a third. Rose hurried over to the bookcase eagerly.

"They're all books of jinxs, and counter-jinxes, and curses! This one is all defensive spells! Oh, this is wonderful! And look, this one is filled with pictures of just how it's spells are done..."

From that day on the three spent almost all of their free time within the Room of Requirement, helping Scorpius master spell after spell. Rosier and his gang hadn't attacked Scorpius full on again, but they still tormented him any chance they got; trying to trip or pinch him as they passed in the hall, hissing threats and taunts as he walked by them in the Slytherin common room at night. Scorpius put up with all of it in defiant silence, training with increasing determination as the year went on, with his friends and on his own, whenever he could.

Scorpius knew that Rosier hadn't forgotten him, that the fifth year was simply waiting for an opportunity. The older boy seemed to loath Scorpius, going out of his way to clip him hard with his elbow, or else to whisper something nasty in Scorpius' ear, whenever they passed in the halls. And still Scorpius held off, biding his time, waiting until he was sure he could crush Rosier. Make Rosier regret he had ever laid eyes on him...

* * *

The days were growing steadily warmer, and one Saturday afternoon saw Al and Scorpius sitting alone in the shade of their favorite beach trees, playing wizard chess with a set that Al had gotten that Christmas. Rose had decided to stay in the dormitory to read.

The two boys were focusing so hard on their game that they hadn't noticed that they had been approached, until a sneering voice called out, and Scorpius stiffened.

Al looked up to see Rosier and his Slytherin followers standing behind Scorpius, a wand ready in Rosier's hand.

"What are you doing, Malfoy," jeered Rosier, "still cozying up with your filthy little boyfriend? Don't mind getting your hands dirty, eh?"

Scorpius was on his feet and faceing Rosier so quickly that Albus hardly saw him move. The blond boy's wand was pointing at Rosier's face, and when he spoke his soft voice was dangerously low.

"Don't you dare," Scorpius breathed, anger radiating off of him, "call him filthy. He is ten times the man you are."

Rosier's lip curled and he snarled, "Watch your mouth, traitor! Walking around with your nose in the air, like you're too good for us! Consorting with lesser houses, with _filth_ and children of _mudbloods_ -"

Scorpius' hand moved in a blur, and with a bang Rosier was blasted off his feet. In an instant the rest of the Slytherins rushed forward, roaring with rage, and one by one they fell. Scorpius moved with a speed that left Al breathless, frozen in awe where he sat, watching his friend with wide eyes. One boy fell to the ground clutching his face as wriggling tubers sprouted from it; another toppled over, his limbs stiff with a full body-bind curse; a third boy's wand flew through the air as he was hit in the chest with a jinx that bent him over double, vomiting large, fat slugs onto the grass. Scorpius dodged the fourth assailent, blocked two more spells, and sent a stunning spell into another attacker's face. Rosier had struggled to his feet, his features contorted with rage. Only two of his friends remained dueling Scorpius as Rosier rushed the younger boy from behind.

Al jumped to his feet with a yell, pulling out his own wand in the same movement, finally freed of his temporary paralysis. He shot a spell at Rosier that missed his head by inches, and Rosier turned around to face him instead. Al shielded just in time as Rosier slashed his wand at him. The force of the older boy's spell shattered Al's protection and sent him stumbling backwards. He tripped over his own feet and landed hard on the ground, his wand flying from his hand. Rosier advanced on him, his own wand pointed at Al's small, terrified face.

"You'll pay for that, you little shit!" Rosier snarled, a dark glint in his eyes. But before his lips could form a curse, Rosier was knocked once again off his feet with another loud, _Bang!_ Scorpius stood with his wand raised, the last two Slytherins he had been dueling laying on the ground behind him, apparently unconscious.

Rosier rolled onto his back and tried to sit up, but before he could lift himself more than a few inches Scorpius was upon him, his wand pointed between the fifth year's eyes, nearly touching him. Cold fury made Scorpius' beautiful face hard, his eyes turn to ice. When he spoke it was in the same dangerously low, slow voice as before.

"Don't you _ever_ try to hurt me or my friends again... The next time you do, it'll make what I just did seem like _nothing_. Believe me, I won't be so nice the next time..."

* * *

Rose could hardly believe her ears when the boys told her over dinner about what had happened that afternoon, her brown eyes wide as saucers in her freckled face as she listened to their tale.

"Scorpius was brilliant, I've never seen anyone move so fast!" Al exclaimed, "He took them all on single-handedly! I was too surprised to do a thing at first, and then Rosier tried to attack while Scorpius' back was turned, and I finally snapped out of it. Still, I wasn't very much help."

Al shook his head, a little embarrassed as he remembered falling on his butt and letting his wand fly away from him. Remembering the moment when he was sure that he was about to be cursed, and couldn't do a thing about it...

But Scorpius had come to his aid just in time. Al smiled at the other boy, still thoroughly impressed. Al was shocked at how good Scorpius had become, the skill with which he moved, dodging and countering with a speed that had dazzled Al. Scorpius was smiling back at him, but his pale eyes seemed worried, for some reason.

* * *

Scorpius _was_ worried; worried about Al. Worried about what Rosier might try to do to the boy, to get back at Scorpius. As their third year came to a close Scorpius tried not to dwell on it too much. Rosier hadn't done anything since that fateful duel, where Scorpius flatted him and his whole gang, but Scorpius still couldn't shake the feeling that the other boy wouldn't be content until he got his revenge...

* * *

The Hogwarts Express was starting to move down the tract, pulling away from the secret platform within King's Cross Station. Inside a compartment a boy's eyes followed three fourth years as they passed by the door, unaware that they were being watched. Rosier's gaze stopped and fixed upon the last of them, a slender boy with black hair and shockingly green eyes...

He would make that arrogent son of a bitch, Malfoy, pay. And he would use his precious little friend to do it. Scorpius had gotten too strong, somehow, to fight openly anymore. But the small boy, Al, on the other hand... He was weaker by far than his friend, weaker than Rosier, to be sure. He would be easy to corner, easy to hurt...

Scorpius would regret spurning Rosier's friendship, when the boy had first invited him to join his group in Scorpius' first year. He would regret picking that filthy little whelp over _him_!

* * *

"You just keep getting taller and taller!" Rose exclaimed as the three friends found a compartment and loaded their things in the overhead racks, Scorpius pushing everything easily into place. Al also looked up at Scorpius, and realized that the blond boy was more than a hand taller than Al now, his shining, white-gold hair flowing down his back, just below his shoulders, which seemed to be broadening as well. Al looked down at himself ruefully. He felt that in comparisen he had hardly grown at all, still as short and slender as ever, and only a few inches taller than Rose.

Al looked back up and noticed Scorpius watching him, and a warmth spread up the back of his neck, embarrassed that his friend had seen him examining himself like that. The three settled in, catching eachother up on what had happened to them over the summer.

"How were things over at your place, Scorpius?" Al asked after the dimpled witch had been by, and they were munching happily on their snacks.

"Same as ever," murmured Scorpius, and Al noticed that his voice had also deepened a little over the summer, "My mom kept inviting her 'friends' over, and they always had a kid that was our age with them. Trying to get me to hang out with people she thinks are _worthy_." He snorted, looking sourly out the window.

"They were all the same; all Slytherins, and every one of them was just nasty, stuck up and mean. I don't know how Mother expects me to like them!" He looked over at Rose and Al and his face softened into a smile.

"Nothing like you guys, smart and kind and funny. I still find it hard to believe I was lucky enough to meet you..." His eyes moved from Rose to Albus and stayed there, and as Al looked back he felt heat rising in his cheeks, as his heart did a weird flip in his chest. He blinked as Scorpius finally looked away to select a Chocolate Frog from the pile on the seat beside him, leaving Al a little short of breath and wondering why...

* * *

Snow was falling gently outside the windows of Ravenclaw tower, piling up on the windowsills. Al and Rose were sitting at a table next to the fire, working on their mountains of homework before bed. With a sigh Al pushed away the essay he was writing and rubbed his tired eyes. There was still an hour left until curfew, but Al was already exhausted. The previous night had been their Astronomy class, and Al was always overtired the next day. He gazed the pile of books and parchment before him. He still had another essay to write and a star chart to complete, and he was fading fast. He stiffled a yawn and then stood up, stretching.

"I'm going for a walk," he told Rose, and she looked up from her own parchment, "If I keep trying to work like this I'm gunna pass out, and I really should get this done tonight..." Al didn't like leaving any homework for the weekend; it cut into time he could be enjoying with Scorpius and Rose. Rose nodded absently, lowering her eyes back to her own work, an ink blot on her freckled nose.

"Ok then," she replied, "Just make sure you're back before curfew." Al nodded, even though she didn't see, and turned and walked away across the common room. He didn't really have a destintation in mind, he just needed to get his blood pumping. The boy wandered the halls aimlessly, passing few other people this close to curfew. He thought to check the library for Scorpius, for he knew that the other boy tried to spend as little time as possible in the Slytherin dormitory. But he wasn't there, and Al left the library dissapointed. He decided he would take a stroll through the dungeon corridors real quick, see if he didn't run into Scorpius there, before he headed back up to the Ravenclaw common room.

Al's footsteps echoed off the stone as he desended the staircase down below the school, looking around nervously. He had never been down there so late a night before, and it was, if possible, even creepier than usual. He passed doors leading off the halls, heading deeper below the school, and then one he had just walked by creeked open. Al turned around and saw Professor Chandani looking at him with her proud eyes, and her heavy eyebrows raised.

"What," she asked quietly, her deep voice slightly accented, "are you doing down here, Potter? It is nearly passed curfew."

"I'm sorry Professor, I was taking a walk. I was just doing homework, you see, and I was starting to get tired..." Al trailed off as the woman eyed him. He noticed that the doorway she stood in led to the potions classroom, and her office beyond.

"I see" Professor Chandani said, and then she glanced around the apparently deserted corridor, "There is only twenty minutes left until curfew, I suggest you make your way back to Ravenclaw Tower, Potter." Al nodded and Chandani gazed at him for a moment more before retreating back into her room and closing the door behind her. With a sigh Al started back the way he had come, wondering where Scorpius was. He reached the staircase that let back to the entrance hall, put his foot on the first step and then stopped. People were walking down the stairs towards him, and Al looked up to see who it was.

" _Potter_!" Rosier's sneering voice proceded him down the steps. The sixth year was occompanied by only two of his friends tonight; a gorilla faced boy built like a brick wall, and a thin, dark boy with high cheek bones sitting in his cruel looking face, that gave him the appearance of an angry feline.

"What a pleasant surprise," Rosier crooned, stepping down towards Albus. Al reached for his wand instinctivly, but Rosier was too fast for him.

" _Expelliarmus_!"

Al's wand flew from his hand, and he tried to dive for it, but the three Slytherins were already upon him. He struggled futily as they dragged him down the hallway and into the first chamber they found, throwing him roughly to the floor and locking the door behind them. Al pushed himself onto his hands and knees, shaking as he looked up at his three assailents. There was a strange gleam in Rosier's eyes as he crouched down beside Albus, pointing his wand into the younger boy's face.

"I've been waiting for this chance," Rosier breathed, and fear bubbled up inside Albus, "Been waiting to catch you alone, and now look, _you've_ come to _me_." He reached out and stroked Al's face, gently, almost lovingly.

"So stupid, walking down here all alone... No Scorpius to protect you..." Albus held perfectly still, panic wiping all other thought from his mind. Rosier's handsome face was close to his, his eyes still gleaming oddly in the light from the other boys' wands.

"But you are pretty," Rosier whispered, his gaze trailing slowly up and down Al, "Such lovely eyes. So _delicate_... I can see why he likes you, filth and skum though you are... Will you tell him, I wonder?"

"T-tell him what?" Al tried to sound confident, defiant, tried to keep his terror out of his voice. He stared into Rosier's eyes, his hands clenched on the cold stone beneath him.

"Why, tell him what we do to you, of course! Like I've said, I've been waiting for this chance for a while, the chance to teach you your place..." He stood up then and raised his wand, pointing it at Albus as he cried, " _Crucio_!"

Al screamed in agony, his body curling in on itself as pain tore through him. It felt as though his body was being ripped apart, burned, and it was unendurable. Just when Al was sure that he would go mad, that he would die, Rosier lifted his wand and the pain ceased.

Al lay limply upon the floor, panting, his body trembling and tears falling unnoticed down his cheeks. Rosier laughed, and it was a slightly mad sound, his friends chuckling behind him. Al felt a hand clench painfully in his hair, felt his head being pulled back, and he opened his eyes to find Rosier's face inches away from his own. He could feel the older boy's hot breath on his skin.

"I'm going to make this hurt, Potter. I will not be quick. And then you can run and tell Scorpius what I've done. Make sure you let him know it was because of _him_ that you were hurt..." Al closed his eyes as Rosier released him, bracing himself for what he knew was coming next.

" _Crucio!_ "


	6. The secret

"Al, is everything alright?"

Al jumped when he heard his name, his eyes wide as he looked up. Scorpius was watching him closely, his pale gaze concerned. Al smiled weakly, nodding.

"O-of course!" he replied in an overly cheerful voice, "Just a little tired is all! I'm perfectly fine!"

Al could feel Scorpius' eyes on him still, as he looked back down at his book. The three friends were sitting together at their usual table in the library. Scorpius thought that Al seemed distracted, jumpy...

"You're sure?"

"Yes! Very sure, just tired!"

Now it was Scorpius' turn to be suspicious. Scorpius' turn to not believe his friend's words.

"Al, did something happen," Scorpius asked a minute later, quietly enough that Rose, who seemed thoroughly engrossed in her own book, didn't hear, "Has Rosier-"

"No," said Al in a firm whisper, glaring determindly down at the page before him. Scorpius waited, still unconvinced, until Al looked up at him.

"See, look," Al said, pulling back his sleave and showing Scorpius his arm, "perfectly fine. I'm just tired, really..."

But Albus wasn't fine; he was terrified. The night before, Rosier had tortured Al until he had finally passed out, to awaken hours later in total darkness, completely alone. Al had retrieved his wand from the foot of the stairs where he had dropped it, then staggered back up to Ravenclaw tower, jumping at the smallest sound.

Al wouldn't tell Scorpius what had happened. He couldn't. That was what Rosier wanted. Rosier wanted Scorpius to feel like what had happened to Al was his fault. Rosier was trying to hurt Scorpius through Al, and he wasn't going to let that happen! There was no lasting damage, after all, no bruises or scrapes that still pained him. He was fine, and he wouldn't let Scorpius know. Not ever...

* * *

Scorpius noticed a change in Al, though the other boy denied that anything was wrong. Al seemed parannoyed, never wanted to go anywhere on his own, and his grades were slipping, something that had never happened before. He jumped at shadows and always seemed to be looking over his shoulders, for what, Scorpius didn't know, though he had his suspicions. Al maintained that everything was fine, however, no matter how much Scorpius and Rose pushed.

Christmas break was upon them, and to Scorpius' and Rose's surprise, Al signed the list of those who would be remaining at Hogwarts for the Holiday. When the day came for the students to go home, Rose said goodbye to Al in the common room and he went down to breakfast shortly after.

Al couldn't make himself face his family. He felt like a coward, unworthy of their company. They were all Gryffindors, brave and strong, and Albus was just scared; small and weak, and terrified of his own shadow. Rosier hadn't done anything else to him in the last few weeks, since that first attack, but Al still couldn't shake the fear that gripped him.

Albus had been sure that Rosier would be going home for the Holiday, but as he walked into the Great Hall for breakfast he froze in his tracks, instantly spotting the sixth year sitting at the almost empty Slytherin table with a small group of other Slytherins who had stayed behind.

"Al?"

Al jumped and spun around to see Scorpius standing behind him, looking concerned again.

"Scorpius?" Al said blankly, surprised to see the other boy still there, "What are you doing here?"

"I decided to stay for Christmas too, so you wouldn't be alone" Scorpius replied softly, and his eyes flitted past Al towards the Slytherin table where Albus had just been staring. Al felt his cheeks grow warm, but he smiled shakily at his friend.

"That's great!" Al exclaimed, trying to act normal, "Your family wont mind you staying?"

"They'll get over it" Scorpius replied quietly, his ice blue eyes turning back to Albus' face. Al got the impression that the other boy was looking into his very soul, and he quickly glanced down at his feet, his heart pounding in that same confused way it always seemed to do now when Scorpius looked at him.

That night they went down to visit Hagrid together after dinner, Roxy nearly knocking Al over in her attempt to lick his ears. Al felt safe in Hagrid's small house, next to the warm fire, drinking tea out of one of Hagrid's huge mugs. He dreaded going back to the drafty castle, with all of it's shadows and places to hide... But all too soon it was time to go in, and Scorpius and Al drudged through the ankle deep snow, shivering in the frigid wind as they walked back up to the school. Al's skin burned as the warm air of the entrance hall hit it.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," Scorpius said unsurely as they reached the marble staircase, "Unless you want me to walk you up to Ravenclaw tower?"

Al felt his cheeks redden and he shook his head, shame burning in his throat. Did the other boy really feel that Al needed to be walked back to his dorm? Was he really so pitiful seeming, so defenseless? If Scorpius already felt like he needed to take care of Al now, what would the boy do if he knew the reason Al was so jumpy was because he was petrified Rosier would attack him again? Al resolved once more never to tell Scorpius what had happened. Never.

"It's fine," Al said, unable to meet Scorpius' eyes, "I can make it back on my own. Goodnight, Scorpius."

"Goodnight..." Scorpius answered as Al walked up the steps and out of sight.

As Al rounded the corner hands closed over his mouth and wrists, pulling him into an empty classroom right next to the stairs. Panic choked him and he struggled desperately against his captors, his mind reeling.

 _Not again_ , he thought despairingly, _Please, not again!_ The person who's hand was over his mouth was standing behind him, his larger body pressed against Al's back, his breath hot on Al's neck.

"Hello again, Potter."

Al started to shake as Rosier spoke softly in his ear.

"You never told Scorpius about what happened, did you? I'm surprised... What about this time?" Rosier's voice was pleasant, fertive, "You could call out, he'd probably still hear you." And Rosier slid his hand off of Al's mouth, resting it instead gently upon the small boy's throat. For a second Albus almost did scream; Rosier was right, Scorpius was probably still within hearing...

But Al remained silent. Rosier chuckled softly behind him.

"No? Not going to call for your boyfriend?" The sixth year's hand tightened on Al's throat, making him caugh. "You dissobeyed me, you know, Potter... I ordered you to tell Scorpius about me teaching you a lesson, don't you remember? And you didn't. Now I'm going to have to punish you. Punish you for your disobedience, your _arrogance_. You think you're special, do you? Because you're father's famous? Because let me assure you, you're not special, Potter. You're a worthless piece of trash..."

The three other Slytherins laughed appreciatively, one of them was the gorilla faced boy who had been with Rosier last time. Al felt Rosier's free hand slide into his pocket and remove his wand, tossing it away into a corner of the unused classroom.

"Make sure no one hears," Rosier ordered, and one of the Slytherins cast a silencing charm at the door. Al started to shake in earnest now, terror paralyzing him. Rosier released his neck and the two boys holding his arms forced him roughly to his knees.

"Now, what shall we do this time... Perhaps something a little more visible? But not too visible, I think... Take off his robes..."

* * *

Christmas day dawned dark and snowy, and Al didn't even touch the pile of presents at the foot of his bed. His dorm-mates eyed him confusedly as he shoved all the packages into his trunk, but Al ignored them, walking stiffly out of the room as soon as he had dressed, behind the blue curtains of his four poster bed.

Al's body ached. His knees were bruised from the stone floor, and it made it painful to walk. Rosier had decided that he wanted to burn Albus. He had flayed Al repeatedly with a firey whip that trailed from the tip of his wand. Long, angry burns rose in strips across the flesh of Albus' back. He didn't want to remain in the common room, where other people were starting to gather, but he was afraid that if he went down to breakfast too early, Scorpius wouldn't be there yet, and _he_ would be...

Finally Al couldn't stand the happy chatter any longer, and he made his way down to the Great Hall, trying not to wince every time his robe slid over his back or he took another step. When he got there Al breathed a tiny sigh of relief; Scorpius was already there, and _he_ was not. Scorpius was sitting alone at the very end of the Ravenclaw table closest to the door, the few Ravenclaws who were there paying him absolutly no mind. He was almost like an honorary Ravenclaw at this point; he ate every meal with them at least.

Al hurried over to his friend, trying to smile as normally as he could.

"Happy Christmas!" Al said brightly as he sat down on the bench beside Scorpius, surpressing another wince as he did so. Scorpius smiled down at him, and Al thought that the other boy had seemed to have gotten even taller. Again Al's heart fluttered strangly in his chest.

"Happy Christmas, Al," Scorpius replied softly, "no offense, but you look terrible." He was watching Albus a little too closely for comfort, and Al reached for a plate of sausages for an excuse to break eye contact. He forced himself to continue smiling.

"I didn't sleep very well," Al said casually, "Peter has a cold, and he was snoring even louder than usual."

After breakfast the two boys headed towards the library, one of the few places they could hang out together within the castle. But as they entered Al heard voices, and when he looked over he saw Rosier and a small group of other Slytherins already at a table between the second and third bookshelves. Al stopped in his tracks, then immediately turned around and walked straight into Scorpius, who was still in the hall beyond the doorway.

Scorpius' hands closed around Al's shoulders to steady the smaller boy as he stumbled and almost fell. Al's cheeks reddened and his heart rate quickened.

"Al, what-"

"Let's go somewhere else," Al said quickly, grabbing Scorpius' hand and pulling him away from the library door.

"What? Where? Al, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Albus replied loudly, dragging Scorpius along behind him, "I'm just tired of the library, is all."

"Ok... But then where are we going to go?"

Al had no idea... And then it hit him.

"The Room of Requirement!"

Within minutes they were standing before the blank stretch of wall that concealed the Room of Requirement, and Al was walking back and forth in front of it.

 _We need a safe place to hang out. We need a safe place to hang out. We need a safe place to hang out._ The door materialized before them, and Al pushed it open and stepped inside.

The room was smaller than before, a low table surrounded by flat, comfy looking cusions sat in the middle of the chamber. There was a small bookshelf filled with comics and books, and another filled with games. Al walked over the the shelf with the games and picked up Wizard's Chess. The boys whiled away the hours in the room until it was time for lunch, then they retreated back into it once more, after they had eaten. Al couldn't believe they hadn't thought of this earlier, it was a hundred times better than the library, where they constantly had to speak in whispers, and all they could do was read or do homework.

The rest of Christmas break they did the same thing, spending their days within the Room of Requirement, playing games and reading and talking for hours. Despite Al's fear of Rosier, and the pain of his slowly healing back, he was having one of the best times of his life. He loved spending time alone with Scorpius. Scorpius didn't chatter, like Rose did. The things he said were insightful, and deep, and Al found that he had never had more enjoyable conversations.

When Christmas break ended Al returned to normal school life with a feeling of dread weighing heavy on his mind...


	7. The dark sea

Al's back had long since healed, (though the scars still remained), but his mind felt damaged. Rosier had switched his focus onto Albus completely. Instead of silently pinching and elbowing Scorpius in the halls, now his target was Al instead. His gang were nearly as bad, and because of this, Al was never without at least half a dozen fresh bruises littering the skin beneath his robes. Spring was apon them, and people were beginning to worry about upcoming exams. Al's grades were still far poorer than usual, but he just couldn't seem to focus.

Rose too, was a little more destracted than usual, do to the fact that she had started dating another Ravenclaw forth year, a boy named Erik Kingham, though Rose's grades didn't drop in the slightest. These days the three didn't spend as much time together as they used to. Rose was often with Erik, leaving Scorpius and Al to themselves. Al didn't mind, she was his cousin, after all, and she would always be around. Plus it meant that Al and Scorpius had more time alone together, without Rose's constant stream of speech.

And still Albus waited, constantly on edge, trying his best to walk alone as little as possible.

One night as Al and Rose sat together at a table in the Ravenclaw common room, (Erik was at Quidditch practice), a tiny first year girl approached them.

"I was told to tell you that Professor Flickwick wants to see you in his office," she said to Al, and then walked away. Al got to his feet, worried. What if Flickwick wanted to talk to him about his slipping grades? Al left the common room nervously, imagining Professor Flitwick's disappointment in him, after Al had been one of the top in their year, below Rose, of course. He walked down the deserted corridors, distracted by thoughts of Flickwick's reprimands.

Suddenly hands closed around him, and for a third time he was dragged backwards, into an empty chamber off a hall hidden behind a tapastry he had just passed. _No,no, NO!_ Al screamed in his head, trying to pull himself free, trying to kick anyone he could reach. A blindfold was pulled tight over his eyes, and a wadded up piece of cloth was stuffed into his mouth, as he heard the door to the chamber slam shut.

"Strip him," Al heard Rosier say, and then his robes were being pulled off.

A minute later Al trembled on the stone floor, wearing nothing but his socks and underwear, his hands tied behind his back and his ankles bound tightly together. A clicking sound filled the air, as Al lay shivering on the ground waiting for whatever was going to come next.

"You didn't learn your lesson before, Potter? Flickwick doesn't want to see you, idiot," crooned Rosier, and Al could feel him kneel down beside him, then grasp his hair and lift his head roughly off the floor. Al's cry of pain was muffled by the cloth in his mouth.

" _Pretty little Potter_ ," Rosier whispered in Al's ear, so quietly that none of the others could hear, sending a shiver down the boy's spine, "Such smooth skin you have. Such a slender frame... So innocent. So foolish. So _weak_..." Rosier released the boy's air and Al's head fell to the ground. He felt Rosier stand up, heard him walk away.

Rosier must have given a silent command to his gang, because without any warning a foot met with Al's side, and he cried out, the sound snuffed out by the gag between his teeth. Then another foot kicked hard into his stomach, then his back. Over and over they kicked him, that strange clicking sound still echoing around the chamber, behind the sound of feet thudding into Al's small body.

* * *

Al wasn't at breakfast the next morning, and he was late to his first class of the day. Rose eyed him questioningly as he took his seat beside her, but he appeased her with a quick whispered explanation of how he had over slept, something about a boy's snores keeping him up all night. She seemed satisfied with his excuse.

It was Friday, so they had the afternoon off. Rose was somewhere out in the grounds with Erik, and Scorpius and Al were on their way to the Room of Requirement as usual.

As the two boys rounded a corner they almost walked right into Rosier and his gang. Everyone stopped; Al's eyes widened and Scorpius' shoulders tensed, while a sneer slid onto Rosier's face.

"Malfoy," Rosier said in a mock greeting, nodding at Scorpius. Then he turned his eyes on Al and his smirk broadened.

Scorpius' wand was already in his hand, and he watched Rosier with clear hatred in his eyes. Albus seemed to wither under Rosier's stare, and instinctivly, Scorpius took a step forward, partially shielding the smaller boy from view. Rosier tore his gaze away from Al and turned it instead on Scorpius.

"You're in my way," Rosier drawled, "Move." And he pushed past Scorpius and began walking away down the hall, the other Slytherins following. Then he stopped, as if he only just remembered something.

"Oh yeah, Malfoy, I have something for you."

Scorpius' fingers tightened on his wand, but the other boy didn't attack. Instead he pulled a square, yellow envolope from inside his robe, then tossed it to the ground at Scorpius' feet. Before Scorpius could stoop down and pick it up Rosier and his gang where already walking away, around a corner and out of sight.

Warily Scorpius opened the envolope and pulled out it's contents, then he froze, his face stuck in a mask of shock and pain. Al felt his whole body grow numb as Scorpius slowly looked up at him.

Al suddenly realized what that odd clicking noise had been...

Scorpius' face darkened and he grabbed Al's arm, dragging him down the corridor until they reached the Room of Requirement. Scorpius walked back and forth before the wall three times, so fast that he was almost running, then pulled Al through the newly formed door. The room was small and totally empty; Scorpius didn't want to read or play games today. He turned to face Al, his face livid and anguished in equal measure.

Al was finding it extremely hard to breathe. He stood before Scorpius, too afraid to speak. Wordlessly Scorpius passed him the contents of the envolope. Al took them slowly, his fingers trembling, and looked down.

They were moving photographs of him; tied, blindfolded, and gagged, wearing nothing but his socks and underwear. In some he only laid there, shaking on the stone floor, in others he was being kicked repeatedly by at least four pairs of feet, his legs curled up to his chest in an effort to protect himself. Al's vision seemed to blur around the edges as he stared down at the pictures of himself, and shame consumed him, making him feel sick to his stomach.

After all this time of trying to hide it.

 _Scorpius knew._

"Al," Scorpius' voice seemed far away, "Al, take off your robes."

Al looked up in alarm, his green eyes wide in his pale, too thin face.

"W-wha-"

"Take off your robes."

Scorpius' eyes were steely. Al took a step back, the pictures slipping from his fingers to the floor, and Scorpius followed him, until there was even less space between them than before.

"I want to see," Scorpius said, his voice deathly quiet with suppressed rage, "what those bastards did..." Al's breatheing quickened as Scorpius stepped closer to him, and he backed away again and hit the wall. A gasp of pain escaped the boy as his tender flesh bumped stone, and Scorpius' eyes narrowed even more.

"Al, if you do not show me what they did, I swear, I will strip you down myself."

Al stared at Scorpius a moment more before he moved to obey, his fingers fumbling as he struggled out of his robes. He couldn't look at Scorpius as he pulled the black cloth over his head and let it fall to the floor beside him, remembering a time when he had ordered Scorpius to do the very same. He could just stand there, his heart beating frantically while the rest of his body seemed to freeze.

There was silence for what seemed like an eternity. Al waited, his eyes staring blindly at his feet. Then warm fingers carressed his face ever so gently, and Scorpius was there, inches away, his body radiating heat onto Al's cold skin. Scorpius' other hand found Albus' cheek, so that he was cupping the smaller boy's face, raising it gently up towards his. Al met Scorpius' eyes unwillingly. But there was no disgust within them, just a pain beyond any that Al had ever seen.

"I'm so sorry," Scorpius breathed, his soft voice broken with anguish, "Oh God, Al, this is all my fault."

Then Scorpius' arms were wrapping carefully around him, and Al's cold skin burned wherever the other boy touched. Tears slid out of Al's eyes unbidden and down his cheeks, as Scorpius' arms tighened around him.

"I'll fucking kill him," Scorpius growled, his body shaking with rage, "How long?"

"W-what?" Al looked up into Scorpius' face, his emerald eyes wide.

"How long," Scorpius repeated, "has this been going on!"

Al didn't answer, and Scorpius released him with another low growl, turning and pacing back and forth in the center of the small chamber, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"God, I _knew_ something had happened!" he blurted out angrily, and Al cringed, "I _knew_ it! You've been off for months now, why didn't I realize? _Why_ didn't I push harder!"

Al seemed to shrink into himself a little more with Scorpius' every word.

"This whole year you've been afraid, and I _knew_ it, and still I didn't do a fucking thing! And that bastard- that fucking bastard-" Scorpius seemed unable to continue, and he let out a roar of frustration instead.

Al cowered against the wall, feeling small and fragile, afraid of the other boy's anger. It was all Al's fault. His fault for not being fast enough, strong enough, _smart_ enough, to protect himself...

"I'm sorry," Al whispered, and Scorpius stopped his pacing, "You're angry with me..."

Again pain filled Scorpius' eyes as he stared at the smaller boy, hunched against the stone wall.

"Oh, Al," he said, walking slowly back to Albus, "Of course I'm fucking mad. I'm _livid._ But, not at you." His hand rested again on Al's cheek, "Never at you..."

Scorpius was staring at Al, his light blue eyes a storm of emotion. Al saw pain and anger there, but also something that looked strangly like longing, and it made Al's heart race in a very different, completely confusing sort of way. Why did Scorpius keep touching Al's face like this, and why did Al find it so unbelievebly comforting? Why did his neck feel so very hot?

"Al, please... How many times-" Scorpius' voice broke and he swallowed before continueing, "How many times have they done something like this?"

Al didn't want to answer. He didn't want Scorpius to know about the other instances Rosier had caught him, but despite his unwillingness he found the words spilling from his lips anyways, unable to resist Scorpius' pleading eyes. He told Scorpius about the first time, in the dungeons, how he had been tortured with the Cruciatus curse for nearly an hour. Then about the second time, when he had been whipped with the rope made of fire. When Scorpius heard of this he turned Al around by the shoulders to see the scars for himself, just visible beneath the patchwork of bruises that covered the skin of Al's back.

"I'll never forgive myself..."

Scorpius' breath slid down the back of Al's neck, and the small boy shuddered a little, heat filling his stomach. Then Scorpius' arms were circling Al again, pulling the smaller boy backwards against him. Al felt Scorpius' face brush against his hair, and his heart skipped a beat. For some reason he was finding it hard to breathe again.

"I'm so, _so_ sorry, Al," said Scorpius in an anguished whisper, holding the other boy tighter still. It hurt, but Albus didn't mind. It was warm, and safe feeling, being held by Scorpius like this, and Al found he didn't want him to let go. The feeling frightened him slightly.

"I won't let him touch you, ever again, I swear it. I'll protect you, so please... Please stop being so scared. I can't... Can't stand seeing you like this..." Scorpius' hold tightened even more, and Al felt fresh tears slide down his face, and felt ashamed. Ashamed of how weak he was, ashamed of how much he enjoyed being held by Scorpius. Ashamed that he had caused Scorpius so much pain...

* * *

Al made Scorpius promise not to tell a soul, especially Rose, about what had happened. Scorpius agreed, his blue eyes filled with understanding. Al couldn't bear the thought of his family finding out. Couldn't stand the image of his brother's disgusted expression if he ever heard. Nothing like this would have ever happened to _James_ , or the rest of his gallant Gryffindor family. None of them would have shut down, like Al had, running away and hiding. They would have fought, and fought again, until they won. Like Scorpius had done...

But Al was not brave like them. Not as tough. Something had broken in him that first time, when Rosier had tortured him. He just couldn't understand, couldn't wrap his innocent mind around it. He didn't understand how someone could be so _cruel_ , for such a stupid reason. _Any_ reason, for that matter. Al felt dirty; he had been used, brutally attacked, to make his friend hurt. He felt like a tool, a pawn in a twitsted game of chess. Despencible. Worthless.

Albus tried to stop the shadows in his heart from overwhelming him, from dragging him down below the surface of a dark, stormy sea of anxiety and hopelessness that dwelled inside a corner of his mind, but it was hard. When he was alone he sometimes felt the sea swell up above his head, stealing his breath and consuming every inch of him within it's crashing black waves.

But every time he was with Scorpius the sea receded, and Al found he could breathe again, and that he didn't feel as cold. And every time they parted, for classes or for bed, (Scorpius now walking him back to Ravenclaw tower every time), Al could feel the dark ocean creeping back in, filling him slowly with cold once more...

* * *

Scorpius watched Al move through the castle like a ghost, only really coming alive again when the two were alone. It was hell, watching the boy struggle within his own mind, consumed by fear and guilt. It killed Scorpius, the knowledge that it was all his fault. If not for him, Al never would have been targeted. Attacking Scorpius was one thing; his family was as bad as Rosier's, and he knew how evil people could be. He had met the worst of the worst; was still amazed that his Grandparents hadn't been sent to Azkaban for their crimes.

He had seen already what lurks in the shadows of this world. But Al was different. He had only ever been surrounded by people who loved him. Good, honest, and brave people. It was just wrong to hurt someone like that, who expected to find goodness and light, not cruelty. To take away his innocence so casually, to convince such a sweet, gentle person that he was as good as worthless, was something totally unforgivable...


	8. Panic

**Let me know if you're enjoying it!**

* * *

Scorpius and Rose weren't the only ones to notice that Albus had changed during his fourth year, that something seemed wrong with him, although Scorpius was the only one who knew the cause. Lily and James, (though James denied it), were worried about Albus too; he seemed to be avoiding them, and when they did catch a glimpse of him he looked pale and thin, like he had been very sick.

"There's something wrong with him!" Lily said for what seemed to James like the hundredth time, one evening in the Gryffindor common room. He scowled down at his broom stick, which he had been busy polishing.

"Mum and Dad say he hasn't responded to any of their letters in months! He always looks ill, and- James, are you _listening_?"

"Ugh, God Lily!" James exclaimed, finally looking up, "what do you want me to do about it! I've tried to talk to him, remember? After you pestered me about it the first ten times! He wouldn't stop when I called him, ran away before I could even get near him. I can't do shit if he doesn't want my help!"

Lily crossed her arms with a huff, looking crossly away from her brother.

The truth was that James _was_ worried, despite how he still felt about Albus not being in Gryffindor, and hanging around with that _Malfoy_ kid.

Malfoy.

James was convinced the Slytherin boy had something to do with what was happening to Al. Unbeknownst to his brother and sister, the Christmas of James' fourth year the boy had received a very special gift from his father; the Marauder's Map. It was an amazing piece of parchment that contained a map of Hogwarts castle and grounds, and all the people within it.

Thought Lily didn't know, James had actually tried to talk to Albus a few times, and after his last failed attempt he decided to check the map for Al's dot, thinking perhaps he could catch his brother alone and corner him before he could run away again. But usually Al was with Rose or Scorpius, or both of them, and James didn't want to talk to Al in front of _Malfoy_. And then there were other times when James couldn't find Al's dot at all. During these instances, no matter how long he looked, James couldn't locate Al anywhere within the school. And, more suspiciously still, during those times, Scorpius was also nowhere to be found...

Had the Malfoy boy finally shown his true colors, as James had expected him to do from the start? He didn't understand how Albus could trust him. He was in Slytherin for a _reason_ , after all.

That had always been one of Albus' faults; he trusted far too readily. But not James. James wasn't so easily fooled. He was going to find out what was going on. He would make Scorpius leave his brother alone.

* * *

There was only a week until summer break, and Scorpius was beyond frustrated. In the three weeks since Rosier had given Scorpius the pictures of Al, the older boy had been avoiding Scorpius spectacularly, so that the only times they did see eachother was when there was a teacher around, or in a hallway full of bystanders. Scorpius never met Rosier in the Slytherin common room, and part of him felt satisfied that the older boy was so clearly afraid of him. For the most part though, Scorpius was just mad; mad that he hadn't been able to pay Rosier back for what he'd done to Al. Mad that he still hadn't been able to make Rosier hurt...

* * *

Al wished desperately that he could have remained at Hogwarts for the summer, alone. Being around his family was agony. He couldn't face them. Not these strong, fearless people. His parents, and his aunts and uncles, and his grandparents, who had all fought in a war against the most powerful dark wizard of all time. Around these people he felt more miniscule then ever.

Al spent most of his time alone in his room, or else wandering around the countryside, often not eating anything until dinner, when he was forced to join his family at the table. During these times he spoke very little, pushing the food around his plate with a vacant look in his eyes.

He wished Scorpius was here. The cold, black sea had seemed to completely engulf him, leaving his skin constantly clammy, and his lungs always a little too short of breath. Harry and Ginny tried talking to their son, tried to get even the slightlest glimse of what was wrong out of the boy, but Al just kept assuring them that nothing was wrong. He was fine...

One afternoon Al lay listlessly on his bed, staring at nothing and trying his best to think about nothing. There was still another month to go until it was time to return to school. Another whole month of dodging his family's questions and concerned looks. Vaguely, Al heard a few distant knocks on the front door. The sounds of Ginny's footsteps as she walked down the hall and pulled the door open.

"Hello, Mrs. Potter," Al was suddenly jolted back into awareness.

"My name is Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy. I was hoping I could see Albus."

Al sat up quickly, hardly believing his ears. He stared over at his closed door, his heart beating wildly.

"O-oh!" Ginny sounded surprised, and then she seemed to recover herself, "Of course! He's in his room, right up the stairs there, first door on the left. Go on up."

Ginny's voice seemed hopeful, and Al swallowed a lump in his throat, suddenly nervous.

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter," said Scorpius politely, his voice sounding lower than Al had ever heard it. Then Al heard soft footsteps coming up the stairs, approaching his door, and his heart beat harder still. The footsteps stopped, and then Al saw the doorknob turn, and his door swung open, and there was Scorpius, tall and pale and terribly beautiful, his long, whitegold hair pulled into a loose ponytail at the back of his neck, his eyes the color of the sky on a clear winter morning. He stood there for a moment, his hand still on the doorknob, his piercing gaze taking Al in, giving Al that familiar feeling of being X-rayed.

"Oh, Al..." he said finally, his voice soft and pained as he looked at the withered boy before him, "My poor Al."

He was shutting the door quietly behind him, then he was walking across the room to where Al still sat, frosen in place on his disheveled bed, green eyes wide in his grey face. Now Scorpius was right in front of him, now he was kneeling one knee on the edge of Al's bed...

Al watched everything as if in slow motion, while his heart beat irratically in his chest. Scorpius was hugging him, murmuring softly in his ear, his breath making Al shiver.

"My poor Al... I'm sorry I've left you alone for so long..."

Scorpius' fingers were on the back of Al's neck, tangled in his black hair. His lips slid across the small boy's temple, making Al feel suddenly lightheaded. Another hand cupped Al's cold cheek, turning his face slowly upwards. And there were Scorpius' eyes, inches away, burning with some strange emotion that both terrified and excited Albus. Scorpius' face drew nearer, and Al's vision seemed to blur. Their lips were a breath apart, Scorpius' hand tightening in Albus' hair.

A small gasp escaped Al, and Scorpius froze. He stared at Albus for a long moment more, his eyes shining brightly, then he pulled away, his face paler than usual.

Al sat there in a daze, not really understanding what had just happened, or why he felt as though he had just ran a marathon. Scorpius had gotten so close... Had he almost kissed Al? No, that couldn't be it; Scorpius was his friend. He didn't see Al as anything more then that, right? Al must have been imagining it. Imaginging that look of longing that had flashed through those pale blue eyes...

Al wasn't sure how long they remained still, he on his bed and Scorpius standing in the center of Al's room, but then Scorpius' shoulders seemed to relax a little, and he stepped back over to the bed, sitting down a foot from Al and watching him closely.

"No offense," Scorpius said lightly, his face back to normal, as though nothing strange had just passed between them at all, "but you look terrible."

Al laughed abruptly, and then to his horror tears welled up in his eyes and then spilled over his cheeks. He hid his face in his hands as sobs began to wrack his body.

* * *

Scorpius watched the boy cry, not trusting himself enough yet to hold him, and feeling helpless. Al had gotten so much thinner in the short time they had been apart. His skin was pale and tinged with grey. He seemed broken, fragile; like he was fading away. It killed Scorpius to see the boy like this. The boy who had been like a warm light in Scorpius' cold world from the very first time they met. The boy who's smile had made Scorpius feel welcomed and liked and accepted.

Scorpius had known since that first year that he loved Al. Had known from the very first time he stared into those emerald eyes, that he would love the boy for the rest of his life. Never before had he met anyone like him. He was smart, and thoughtful, and quiet, and kind. He was gentle, and clever, and funny. He made Scorpius laugh. And he was beautiful. The most beautiful person Scorpius had ever seen, with his ebony hair falling windswept around his slender face, which had started to look less like his father's over the years, and much more like his mother's, Scorpius realized now that he had seen the woman.

And now Al sat before Scorpius, crying into his hands, too thin, and too shadowed, and too deathly white...

Finally Al's sobs eased, and he hicupped himself into silence, still sniffing. Scorpius leaned forward and placed a hand on Al's shoulder, waiting until the other boy looked at him. When he finally turned those green eyes up to him, Scorpius was almost overwhelmed again with the overpowering urge embrace him. Kiss him...

Scorpius swallowed and made himself calm down, closing his eyes for a moment before looking back at Albus.

"I'm sorry, Al," he said quietly, "I'm sorry I wasn't here. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

Al blinked in confusion, staring up into Scorpius' suddenly determined eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Just what I said," replied Scorpius, "I'm not going anywhere. I've got a tent, and I'll set up camp somewhere nearby."

"You- you've got a tent?" said Albus blankly, "But, why are you here?"

Scorpius laughed dryly, sitting back and shaking his head.

"You think I believed those pitiful attempts at cheerfullness in those letters you sent me, Al? Come on, I know you better than that." He stared at Al intently, making the boy's ears grow red.

"But, how- your parents-"

"Nevermind my parents. I told them I was coming to stay with you. I don't give a damn what they think anymore, to be completely honest..."

"You- you told them- But, weren't they mad?"

"'Course they were," said Scorpius with a bitter little smile on his lips, "But like I said, I don't care what they think. I can't stop them from being ignorant. But I can ignore them..."

Al stared at Scorpius in wonder, impressed. The longer they sat there, talking quietly on his bed, the more Al seemed to come back into himself. He felt his head rise slowly above the dark sea, felt air enter more readily into his lungs. It was as though the sun had finally dawned, after a very long, cold night. He found himself laughing, something he hadn't done in months, and smiling, his body seeming to lose some of it's now ever present tension.

About an hour after Scorpius had arrived, there came a knock on Al's door, and then it opened and his mom was peering inside. Al looked up from where he was sitting, a smile still on his face from the laugh he had been having a moment before. Ginny's eyes widened and she glanced at Scorpius, then she smiled.

"Dinner will be ready in a little while, won't you join us, Scorpius?"

Al looked quickly to Scorpius, who seemed surprised, yet pleased, at the invatation.

"I wouldn't want to trouble you."

"Oh, no trouble, none at all! Please, I insist that you join us!"

Fourty minutes later Ginny called the house to dinner, and Al and Scorpius left Albus' room, walked down the stairway, and met James in the hall beyond. James stopped in his tracks, looking at Scorpius in surprise.

"What're _you_ doing here?" he asked abrupty, his eyes narrowed with dislike.

"I came to see Al," Scorpius answered softly, his expression wary.

"James, stop-"

"Shut up, Al!" Albus stopped talking at once at James' raised voice, shrinking beneath his brother's angry gaze. James glared back at Scorpius.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here, huh?" James demanded, stepping nearer to the younger boy. Al noticed that Scorpius was an inch or so taller than James, who was already a bit taller than their father.

"I know you have something to do with why Al's been like this! You did something to him, and now you have the fucking _nerve_ -"

" _James_!"

The three boys looked up to see Ginny standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a wooden spoon in one hand, and her eyes livid as she glared at her eldest child.

"Go to your room," she said in a dangerously low voice, "and do not come out until your father has spoken to you."

James stared angrily at his mother for a few seconds more, before he blinked and looked away. He turned and shoved past Scorpius, stomping up the stairs past Lily, whose brown eyes were huge in her face. They all heard a door slam loudly, and then the sound of something hard being thrown across a room. Everyone remained silent, until Ginny turned to Scorpius with a thin, apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Scorpius. Please, come and eat."

Ginny ushered everyone through the kitchen door. Albus, Scorpius, and Lily filed past her and sat down around the table, somewhat awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Potter, I-"

"Nonsence, Scorpius" said Ginny tersely, her shoulders stiff as she doled out heaping helpings of shepard's pie.

"We're happy to have you! Harry will be home at any moment," she continued, glancing over at an odd clock on the kitchen wall as she placed a loaf of bread on the table. Instead of the usual two hands this clock had five, each bearing a different name of the Potter household. Instead of numbers there where different words around the edges, like **_Home_** , _**School**_ , or _**Work**_. The longest hand belonged to Harry, and it was currently pointed on **_Traveling_**.

As Scorpius watched, the hand labeled Harry slid to **_Home_**. Ginny had seen as well.

"He's back!"

She turned towards the hall as the front door opened. A few moments later Harry entered the kitchen and looked around.

"Welcome home," Ginny said, crossing the kitchen to give her husband a kiss, "We have a guest! Al's friend Scorpius came to visit, and I've invited him to stay for dinner."

Harry blinked at Scorpius for a moment, and then smiled, after a small nudge from his wife.

"Oh- yes, of course, welcome Scorpius, glad to have you!"

Scorpius tried to be as polite as possible, amazed at the treatment he was recieving. Beside him Al was actually smiling, something Scorpius suspected the boy hadn't done in weeks.

Scorpius hadn't been surprised by James' reaction to seeing him. It was to be expected. And James was right, in a way. If not for Scorpius, Rosier would have never went after Al. What _did_ surprise him was how welcoming the rest of Al's family was being, how very genuinely kind they were. Never would he have believed that Harry Potter would welcome him into his home, share dinner with him, when he was the child of Draco Malfoy. It was no secret that Harry and Scorpius' dad had despised eachother. Draco even going as far as to try and capture Harry to give the the Dark Lord, knowing that it would have meant Harry's death.

Scorpius had always been deeply embaressed by his family and their actions, and he was immencely grateful to the Potters for not holding it against him, (most of them, at least). It was strange, sitting down to dinner with a family of actually decent people. By the time dinner was through it was already dark outside, and Scorpius saw Al yawning more and more frequently.

"You look exhausted," Scorpius said quietly, and Albus looked up at him mid-yawn.

"I should get going," he continued, a little louder this time, "and _you_ should get some sleep." Albus' eyes seemed to widen and his smile slipped. Scorpius noticed Al's parents and sister look over, their faces worried, but Albus didn't seem to see.

"You're leaving?" Al asked, his face dropping even more.

"Don't worry," Scorpius said quickly, "I'll come back tomorrow. That is-" he looked up at Al's parents, "if that's ok?"

Harry and Ginny assured him that he was welcome to come by anytime and Al walked Scorpius to the door.

"Are you really going to sleep in a tent?"

"Yeah," Scorpius replied, leaning against the door frame and smiling down at Al, "My stuffs there, by the gate." He nodded towards his pack. Then he just stared at Al for a few long moments, and once again Al felt his cheeks redden, and that strange fluttering in his stomach. Scorpius' eyes seemed to burn in his ivory face, his body tensed...

Then he blinked and his shoulders relaxed a little, and he was smiling softly at Albus.

"Get some sleep," Scorpius said quietly, "I'll be back first thing in the morning. And I'll be nearby, so don't worry."

Albus nodded, swallowing down the taste of panic in the back of his throat. It was alright, Scorpius would be back in the morning. He would be close, it was ok. He would be ok.

"Goodnight, Al."

"Goodnight, Scorpius."

Al watched until Scorpius disappeared into the shadows. He was ok, everything was ok.

Al walked numbly back up to his room.

He was ok. Scorpius would be back in the morning.

Al lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.

He was ok, he was ok, he was...

The sea was crashing back in upon him. What if Scorpius didn't come back?

 _I'm ok... I'm ok..._

Al fell into a fitful sleep, tossing and turning, cold sweat plastering his hair to his forehead. His dreams were nightmares, filled with clawed hands. Hands that grabbed him, pushed him, pulled him down into an ocean of fire. And the fire became roses who's thorny vines twisted around him and tore his skin to shreds. And then the vines became great serpants that wrapped themselves around Al, crushing him, squeezing the air from his lungs...

Albus awoke with a start, unable to breathe, terror and panic gripping him. He fought for air, fought against the paralysing fear and hopelessness that crashed through him. Al had no idea what was happening to him.

 _Scorpius_!

The thought of that name seemed to break through a wall in Al's head, and suddenly his lungs filled with air. He spluttered and caughed, his whole body shaking violently as he struggled to continue taking in fresh breaths. Only one thought possessed him; he had to find Scorpius. If he didn't, the night would crash over him again, and the panic would come back...

Al stumbled out of his room, down the stairs, and out the front door, walking in the direction he had seen Scorpius go earlier that night. Al didn't know what time it was, past midnight probably, he didn't know where he was going, or why it was so important to find Scorpius. All he knew was that the only thing keeping the panic from coming back in full force was the thought of finding him. There was a field off the road and Al staggered through it, looking around desperately for any sign of a tent.

After thirty minutes or so of searching in silence Al still hadn't found anything, and he was starting to feel frantic again.

"Scorpius?" Al called into the night, his voice sounding high in his own ears, "Scorpius! _Scorpius_!"

Al's eyes began to burn and when he blinked he felt hot tears run down his face. He started moving faster, tripping and stumbling through the darkness, calling out for Scorpius as his breath came shorter and shorter, and his heart beat faster and faster.

" _Scorpius!-_ " Al's toes hit a rock and he fell forward onto his hands and knees. He gasped for air that didn't seem to want to come, his muscles too weak to lift him.

"Al?"

Could it be?

" _Al!_ "

Al looked up and saw through his spinning vision a tall, lean figure running towards him, a lantern swinging from their hand. Then his vision blurred, and his lungs tried one last time to breathe in air that would not come, and then his arms and legs gave out, and everything went dark before his body it the ground.


	9. Cold shower

"Al, _Al!_ "

Albus wanted to respond to that voice, but he was still so exhausted...

"Al?"

A hand was shaking his shoulder lightly, and a small groan excaped Al's throat. Then he felt arms underneath him, lifting him, craddling his body against a warm, hard chest. Al struggled to open his eyes. His lungs hurt, and his muscles felt terribly weak. His eyelids finally fluttered open, but his vison swam before his eyes, making him feel horribly dizzy.

"Al?"

Scorpius' face came into focus.

"Al, what's wrong, what happened? Where are your shoes?"

Albus only then realized that he had never put on any shoes, and that his bare feet hurt sharply.

"Oh, damn- you're bleeding! Your feet are all torn up!"

Still Al remained silent, shivering slightly despite the warm night air. After a moment Scorpius gave the tiniest of sighs, holding Al tighter still and beginning to walk carefully back through the dark field, towards a small tent that bloomed out of the shadows. Scorpius stooped as they reached the flap, pushing through it and inside.

The interiar seemed far too big for what had appeared from the outside to be a tiny one-person tent. Inside was a large room with canvas walls and just one door that stood open to reveal a small bathroom. There was a tiny kitchen and dining table in one corner, and a single person bed in another. Two worn out armchairs stood facing eachother near the entrance, a small battered coffee table between them.

Scorpius placed the lamp on the table, then lowered Albus carefully into one of the armchairs, as easily as if Al didn't weigh anything at all.

"I'll be right back," he said, and Al watched as Scorpius moved about the tent, wearing a pair of grey pajamas, and Al realized that he was still in his clothes from earlier, never having changed before falling into bed. Scorpius went to the kitchen and took out a large bowl, filled it with warm water from the sink, and then grabbed a washcloth from a drawer and the pillowcase off his pillow. He came back to where he had left Al, and sat down on the coffee table before the other boy with another little sigh.

"This is about as good as I can do right now," Scorpius said regretfully, bending over and lifting Al's foot into his lap. Al felt his face grow red.

"If only I could use magic," he continued, dabbing carefully at the bottom of Al's foot with the damp washcloth, "I've been practicing healing spells, and I'm pretty sure I've gotten the hang of cuts and bruises and stuff now. I could have fixed this right up."

Scorpius continued talking in his soft voice as he washed the blood off Al's feet, and Al felt himself relaxing little by little.

"I'm sorry..." Al said quietly as Scorpius began ripping the pillowcase into two bandages. Scorpius stopped mid-tear, looking over at Al with shadowed eyes.

"What happened?"

Al felt his face get hotter, this time with fresh shame.

"I- I woke up, and I couldn't breathe," Al stammered, "I couldn't breathe, and I was scared, and I couldn't think. It was horrible, I panicked and- and I c-couldn't _breathe_." Al didn't know how to really discribe adequately exactly how he had felt, and he trailed off hopelessly, embarrassed, but Scorpius was nodding at him, understanding in his light blue eyes.

"Sounds like you had a panic attack," said Scorpius, finishing his last rip.

"A panic attack?"

Scorpius nodded again, wrapping one of the freshly torn strips around Al's left foot.

"You say you couldn't breathe? Was it like being terrified for no reason? Like you were about to die? Like you couldn't think of a single happy thought?" he continued, finishing Al's left foot and starting on his right.

Al's eyes widened and he nodded, thinking back to the hopelessness and fear that had choked him when he awoke. It truly had felt like he was about to die...

"I thought about you," Al heard himself say, as Scorpius finished bandaging his second foot, "And suddenly I could breathe..."

Scorpius' hands twitched and he froze. Al watched as Scorpius' eyes raised to his, burning once again with that odd light he had seen ealier in his room.

"You thought of _me_?"

Albus could only nod, his throat suddenly tight. Scorpius was staring at him intensely. Al's heartrate quickened as Scorpius drew closer, raising a hand to Al's face, his figertips brushing against the small boy's cheek. Scorpius' eyes seemed torn as he stared down into Al's face, and then a tiny groan left the tall boy's throat, and Scorpius closed his eyes tightly, pulling away.

"God, Al," Scorpius said hoarsly, "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

"W-what?" Al stammered in confusion, his mind working slower than usual. Scorpius gazed at him for another moment, then he sighed again, gathering up the bowl and washcloth once more.

"Nevermind," he murmured. Al watched him cross the room and place his armload in the sink, his shoulders stiff and his hands trembling slightly.

* * *

This was not good. He kept nearly loseing it. First in Al's room, when he had seen the boy again after weeks and weeks of being apart, and now this. If he wasn't careful he would do something stupid. He was lucky Al was so dence. So innocent. If it was anyone else... But Al _still_ didn't realize, after all this time, how Scorpius felt. How close he had just been to being kissed. To being devoured...

Al refused to let Scorpius take him back home, and Scorpius finally gave in. It was already two forty-five in the morning, and Scorpius was exhausted. So they lay down beside eachother in the small bed, Al falling instantly into sleep. But despite Scorpius' weariness, he couldn't get even a minute's rest all night. Al was so close. He could hear the boy's shallow breathing... Could feel the warmth of his back an inch away beneath the blankets. Could smell him; the scent of books, and rain, and a hint of the musky lavender soap he liked best, and something else that was uniquely Al. It was driving Scorpius mad...

* * *

The next morning Scorpius lay in bed, watching the light get brighter through the canvas of the tent. He hadn't sleep a wink all night. Scorpius continued to lie there as day broke outside, and for another hour after that, wanting to let Al sleep. But at about seven thirty he decided he should wake the boy up and take him home, before his parent's got too worried, if they even knew yet that he was gone.

"Al?"

The boy moaned lightly in his sleep, his face moving towards Scorpius even as his eyes remained shut. Strands of ebony hair fell across the boys eyes, and Scorpius reached out, as if to brush them aside. Then he stopped; there was a fire burning in his lower stomach, his eyes fixed on Al's peaceful face. On his soft lips...

Scorpius rolled quickly out of the bed, jumping to his feet. He took a deep breath as he walked away from the bed towards the bathroom, running his hands through his hair in a distracted sort of way. A minute later he was standing in the shower, cold water raining down upon him from the old, crooked showerhead.

After five minutes of standing beneath the icy water, Scorpius turned it off and got out, shivering as he reached for a towel. He dried himself quickly, then realized he hadn't brought a change of clothes with him. He pulled on his pajama pants and left the bathroom, still drying his hair with the damp towel.

Al was sitting up in bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Scorpius watched as Al looked over at him and then blushed faintly, glancing shyly down at his hands. It was almost too much for Scorpius. Did Al have even the _slightest_ idea of how incredibly cute he was? Had he any notion whatsoever of what his pink tinged cheeks did to Scorpius' insides?

"Good morning," Al said.

"Good morning," Scorpius replied with a small smile, "How did you sleep?"

Scorpius walked over to his truck, which stood at the end of the small bed, and opened it, pulling out a pair of dark jeans and a white, short-sleaved button up shirt. He had packed muggle clothes for this visit, seeing as how he was camping in an area filled with muggles.

"Really good," Al said in his small voice, smiling down at his knees, "better than I've slept in a long time, actually." Scorpius glanced over and caught Al's eyes linguring on his bare chest for just a second before the boy looked at his face instead, his cheeks rosey again. Scorpius fought to keep his answering smile as normal as possible, as he was once again gripped by the urge to stand under a cold shower.

"Good," Scorpius said, a little hoarsly, "It looked like you needed a decent nights sleep. I'm going to get dressed, then we should go back to your house. You're parents are going to be really worried if they notice you aren't there."

A shadow fell across Al's face, but he nodded, and Scorpius left him to go change in the bathroom. When he came back out, Al was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to Scorpius. Scorpius approached the bed silently, watching as Al put his bandaged feet gingerly upon the floor, wincing as he put weight on them.

"Can you walk?"

Al jumped.

"Scorpius!" Al exclaimed, his hand over his heart, "Don't sneak up on me like that! Don't you make any noise when you walk?"

"Sorry," Scorpius said with a grin, then he looked back down at Al's feet, "Can you walk?"

Al looked down as well, placing his feet flat on the floor, his face tight.

"I-I think," he said, standing up slowly and taking a few tentative steps forward. Scorpius could tell it pained Al, but he didn't complain. Scorpius found Albus a pair of his shoes to wear that were much too big on Al, but would have to do. Together the boys excited the tent and Scorpius broke it down, rolling it up tightly and stuffing it into the top of his pack.

"Who's tent is it?" Al asked as they walked slowly across the field back towards the road, Al wincing with every step.

"Mine," Scorpius replied, looking sidelong at Al limping beside him, "My parents aren't really the camping sorts, so I had to buy this one myself, off an old wizard who had posted an add for it in the paper. It's about twenty years old, and it's not very nice, but it works just fine. All the pipes are still good, no leaks..."

They made it to the road and started back towards Al's house, going slower and slower as they went. Al was sweating and short of breath, and his limping was getting worse.

"Al, are you-" Al looked up when Scorpius said his name and stumbled, his face pained as he fell forward. Scorpius caught and steadied him, looking disgruntled.

"This is rediculous, here," he turned around and kneeled down, sliding his pack of his back, "Get on."

"W-what?"

"Get on. At the rate we're going we won't get there 'til lunch. Those shoes are too big for you and you can hardly walk. Grab the bag and hop up."

Scorpius waited, and then Al stepped forward and picked up the backpack, putting it on and walking over to where Scorpius kneeled. He placed his hands unsurely on Scorpius' shoulders and then hesitated. Scorpius reached up and grabbed the small hands, pulling Al's arms around his neck.

"Hold on."

He wrapped his arms around the back of Al's knees and lifted. Al yelped quietly and tightened his grip as Scorpius stood and started off down the road, going much faster now that he was carrying the small boy instead of walking beside him. He was surpised at how light Al was, even wearing Scorpius' bulging pack. He knew Al was small, but this was just _too_ small.

"You haven't been eating, have you?" Scorpius' low voice asked softly. Al didn't answer and Scorpius walked on in silence, his eyes shadowed.

He would change that.

A few minutes later Scorpius was making his way up the walkway to the Potter's front door when it swung forward to reaveal Al's mom, in a light green dressing gown and slippers, looking frantic.

" _Albus_!" Ginny cried, "Harry! Harry he's here!" She hurried down the walkway to where Scorpius stood, Al still on his back.

"Albus, what on _earth_ \- Where have you been?" Ginny demanded, and Scorpius saw Harry appear in the doorway, his hair even more ruffled than usual, as though he had been running worried hands through it repeatedly.

Behind him he felt Al cringe, shrinking against his back. Scorpius let out a little sigh and looked at Al's mother.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Potter," he said solemly, "For any anxiety you've expierienced. Al..."

He paused, feeling Al trembling slightly on his back. Albus obviously didn't want to tell his parents about last night. _Sorry, Al,_ Scorpius thought heavily.

"Albus woke up last night, and I believe he had a panic attack," Scorpius said softly, and Al stiffened even more, "At least, that's what it sounded like when he described it to me."

"A panic- but what-" Ginny looked desperately over at Harry as the man came to stand beside her.

"Al woke up and then came to find me. He wasn't thinking straight, you know, and he forgot his shoes, and he was really scared."

Scorpius wanted to make them understand. He didn't want them to be mad at Al.

"I wanted to take him home last night, but his feet were all cut up, and he was exhausted-"

"His feet?" Ginny said sharply, looking down at the overlarge shoes that dangled off her son's toes.

"Lets go inside," Harry said, and Scorpius followed him and Ginny into the hall, past Lily, who was standing on the stairs in her dressing gown looking worried and confused, and into the kitchen. Scorpius lowered Al carefully into one of the chairs, then stood beside him, facing Harry and Ginny.

"I should have sent an owl," Scorpius said remorsefully, "I'm sorry, we've caused you to worry."

"But," said Harry, looking between the boys in confusion, "Al went to find you? Where?"

"I was camping nearby, Sir," Scorpius answered, "I wanted to be close, just in case-" he stopped, glancing quickly at Al then away again, embarrassed. Al was sitting with his shoulders slouched forward, his face burning red as he stared at his hands.

"You were camping?" Came Ginny's shocked voice, and Scorpius watched as Al's parents looked at each other.

He blew it. After they had been so welcoming, too. They would see now that Albus shouldn't have a _Malfoy_ for a friend. That he was bad for Al...

Ginny walked towards Scorpius and stopped, having to look up at the fifteen year old who was already almost a whole head taller than her. Scorpius waited, expecting to be asked to leave, or a repremand, or anything else except her leaning forward and hugging him.

He stood in shock as Al's mom squeezed him in a tight, warm hug.

"Thank you," she said as she released him, smiling shakily up into his eyes. Harry stepped forward as well, placing a hand on Scorpius' shoulder.

"Yes, thank you, Scorpius."

Harry looked down at Al, who had finally raised his wide eyes from his hands.

"We don't know what's been going on with Albus," Harry continued softly, his eyes sad as he looked down at his son. Al flushed and dropped his gaze once more. "We wish he would tell us, but since he wont..." Harry looked away from Al and back to Scorpius and smiled, "Then I'm glad you're here, Scorpius. It was nice seeing him smile again at dinner last night..."

Beside Scorpius Al's ears were the brightest red.

"I know that was because of you," Harry went on quietly, "Thank you, for being here for him."

Scorpius didn't know what to say.


	10. Carried away

Harry and Ginny insisted that Scorpius give up his tent, telling him that he would stay with them for the rest of the holiday, on a cot in Albus' room. Scorpius tried to refuse, worried that he would be intruding, but they wouldn't hear a word against it.

A short while after Scorpius and Al had got back to the Potter house, Al's Aunt Hermione and cousin Rose entered the kitchen. Apparently, Harry had asked Hermione to come by, since she was the best person he knew at healing spells, and Rose had tagged along, worried about her cousin. She hovered nervously nearby as Hermione flicked her wand and the cuts on Al's feet healed instantly.

Scorpius watched Al closely. The small boy didn't seem able to look into his family's eyes, and Scorpius thought he understood. These were strong, good people, and Al didn't feel worthy. The thought tore at Scorpius' heart.

Rose was staring meaningfully at Scorpius, trying to ask him silently what had happened. Scorpius felt horrible for his other oldest friend. She had been beside him and Al from the start, and it felt strange keeping things from her.

"Excuse me," Scorpius said suddenly, facing the adults as they talked quietly by the door. Harry, Ginny and Hermione looked at him.

"I'm sorry to interupt," Scorpius continued softly, "but would it be alright for Al, Rose and I to go to Al's room?"

The adults looked at eachother.

"Of course, Scorpius," Ginny responded first, smiling.

Scorpius thanked them and the three teens left the kitchen and walked together to Albus' room, Rose looking ready to burst with questions.

When they entered the bedroom Scorpius closed the door behind them and turned to face his friends. Al was staring at his toes, his green eyes wide, and Rose was glancing quickly between Al and Scorpius.

"What is going on," she demanded, fists on her hips.

Scorpius looked at Al, who was staring at him now with pleading eyes.

"She deserves to know, Al," Scorpius said quietly, and Al's face paled, "We shouldn't have kept it from her."

Al was shaking, looking mortified, unable to meet his cousin's eyes.

"Know _what_?" Rose asked loudly, "Kept _what_ from me?"

"I'm telling her, Al. She loves you, and she won't think any less of you, I swear..."

And then he told her. Scorpius told Rose about Al being attacked by Rosier, explained the reason why the boy had been so very different the last year. Rose listened in rare silence, her face horrified.

"Oh my god," she whispered when Scorpius had finished, looking between the two boys, "Oh my god, Al, I didn't know. Why didn't I _realize_?"

And then she was hugging Al, tears sliding down her freckled face.

"Of course I don't think any less of you!" she cried, "You should have told me-"

Scorpius stood back as the cousins embraced, tears falling silently down Al's face now too.

Scorpius was glad he told Rose. Glad he had told Al's parents about his panic attack. He was starting to realize that the more the boy hid, the less help he would receive. Al's family were good people, and they would always love him. They wanted to help, and Scorpius wasn't going to allow Al to push them away anymore.

An hour later Hermione called up the stairs for Rose. The three friends had been talking comfortably, and it almost felt like it had before, to Scorpius, when the three had been inseperable. Rose stood and straightened her skirt, looking sternly at Al and Scorpius.

"Well, I've got to go," she said, "but there'll be no more of this hiding things nonense! I'll come back as soon as I can."

The boys bid her farewell as she left the small room, and they listened as her footsteps receaded down the stairs. Scorpius turned to Al, who's face seemed relieved.

"I told you she wouldn't care," he said quietly to Albus, who was sitting on the bed beside him. Al looked up and smiled a little.

"You were right," Al said in a small voice, his hands clentched in his lap, and he looked away from Scorpius.

"Thank you..." the boy whispered, "For coming here..."

Scorpius couldn't tear his gaze away from Al's face; his lowered eyes, framed by long black lashes; his delicate pink lips...

Slowly, almost thoughtlessly, Scorpius raised his hand to Al's cheek; watched as the boy looked up at him in surprise. His hand slid behind the boy's head, weaving into his silky hair. Al's eyes widened, but he didn't pull away.

Scorpius drew nearer, and Al's scent filled his lungs. His other hand moved to the boy's chin, tilting the small face upwards as he drew even closer. He could feel Al's breath now, warm and sweet and a little shaky. He couldn't resist any longer...

Scorpius pressed his lips against Al's, and the small boy froze, his eyes wide.

Heat erupted inside Albus as Scorpius' mouth met his. His heart seemed to jump into his throat and a strange tingling filled his fingers and toes.

Then Scorpius' hand tightened in his hair, and his lips pressed harder against Al's. The boy gasped and Scorpius took advantage of Al's open mouth, kissing him deeper. The boy's head swam as Scorpius' tongue slid across his bottom lip; Al heard himself make an odd sound, and Scorpius' hand twitched on his chin. The next second Scorpius had wrapped the arm instead around Al's waste, pulling the boy closer. Al thought he might faint.

There was a knock on Al's door that made both boys jump and pull apart, panting and red-faced. Then came a second knock and Al glanced over at Scorpius, who's face was quickly turning from red to white.

"C-come in!" Al called shakily and his door pushed open, his mother's face looking around it.

"Lunch is almost ready," she said, glancing curiously between the two boys, who were sitting stiffly upon the bed, a few feet apart.

"O-ok, mum," Al replied, his cheeks still red, "We'll be right down!"

Ginny left, closing the door once more. Albus and Scorpius remained where they were, and the silence grew until it seemed to press upon Al's eardrums. He glanced up and found Scorpius was staring at him, his blue eyes seeming to pierce Al straight through. The look in Scorpius' eyes quickened Al's heartrate again, as the memory of those warm lips against his filled Albus' mind... He felt heat rush into his cheeks, knew that he was blushing...

Scorpius had just _kissed_ him! He could still taste the other boy, still feel the frantic fluttering in his stomach.

Scorpius was leaning towards him again, his blue eyes steady as he stared at Al, and Al discovered that he couldn't look away. Scorpius was craddling his face now, his hands incredibly gentle as he tilted it up to his.

Then he kissed Al again, softly this time, with a tenderness that stole Al's breath away. When Scorpius pulled back he remained close, staring into Al's eyes with an intensity that made Al's heart ache.

"Al..." Scorpius whispered, his deep voice sliding over Albus like honey, "I love you."

Al blinked; his brain seemed to be working incredibly slow.

"I've loved you for a long time now, maybe even from the very first time you spoke to me."

Al was frozen, staring up at his best friend with enormous eyes.

"I'm sorry I kissed you. I will never do it again if you don't want me to. I don't expect you to return my feelings, and I won't bring this up ever again if you'd like."

Scorpius' eyes continued to bore into Al's, searching for something.

"You're still my best friend, and nothing has to change. You can forget this ever happened, and we can continue on like normal-"

"I don't want-" Al said abrubtly then stopped, his face burning with a fresh blush, and his eyes dropped to his hands.

"I... I don't want to forget it happened..." Albus murmered, his voice almost inaudible.

Al could feel Scorpius staring at him, his larger body completely still on the rumpled sheets close by. Al didn't know what else to say, and he continued to sit in awkward silence, waiting for Scorpius to say something instead. After what seemed like an eternity, Al felt Scorpius' fingers under his chin, lifting his face once more.

"You don't want to forget?" Scorpius asked softly, his eyes locked on Al's. Albus swallowed and then nodded, his heart pounding furiously beneath his breast.

"Can I kiss you again?"

Albus' heart felt like it would burst from his chest. Slowly, he gave the tiniest of nods, his body trembling as he stared in those pale, burning eyes.

For a third time Scorpius kissed him, soft and sweet at first, and then more urgantly, his mouth moving hungrily over Al's. Al gasped, and Scorpius' tongue slid past his lips into his open mouth. Scorpius' arm wrapped around Al's waist once more, pulling the smaller boy into his lap. Al panted weakly as Scorpius' lips slipped over his, then trailed slowly down his jaw and over the skin of his neck.

Al shivered, his fingers gripping the other boy's broad shoulders as Scorpius' tongue ran along his collarbone. The boy's teeth nipped at his throat, his long fingered hands sliding up beneath Al's shirt, exploring every inch of skin they could reach. Al's head swam as Scorpius' mouth worked it's way back up his neck and found his lips once more.

Albus heard himself moan; his cheeks grew even hotter, and Scorpius pulled him closer still, his lips almost desperate on Al's.

" _Lunch!_ "

At the sound of Al's mom's call from the bottom of the stairs the boys started and pulled apart, panting heavily. They remained still for a moment, and then Scorpius slid Al off his lap and stood up, looking pale and shaky.

"I-I'm sorry," said Scorpius hoarsely, running a hand distractedly through his loose hair, "I got a little... Carried away..."

Al swallowed and nodded, his face burning and still unable to speak.

"Shall we- Shall we go down?"

Again Al nodded, stumbling unsteadily to his feet. They left the bedroom in silence, each of them intently aware of the other as they walked down the stairs and through the hall towards the kitchen.

* * *

James watched the two boys enter the kitchen with his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with dislike as they took in Scorpius. What were his parents thinking, letting Malfoy stay here? Didn't they realize that the Slytherin boy _must_ be behind the reason for Al's strange behavior? How could they trust him so easily?

For god's sake, Malfoy shows up and that night Al has a _panic_ _attack_ , runs away and then comes back with his feet all torn apart? Wasn't it obvious that _Malfoy_ was the cause? James watched as the two boys sat down beside eachother, and he looked between them suspiciously. His brother's face seemed strange, and Al kept glancing sidelong at Scorpius, then dropping his gaze quickly back down at his plate.

It was weird... Something had happened; Malfoy had done or said something to his brother while they were upstairs, alone together. As James watched, the two boys across from him both reached for the pitcher of pumpkin juice at the same time, their fingers brushing against each other's on the handle. Al pulled his hand back as though he had been burned, and it seemed to James that Al was afraid of Malfoy for some reason. Albus murmured for Malfoy to go ahead, and James' eyes narrowed with suspicion. Why had Al seemed afraid of touching Malfoy, just now? What had Malfoy done to his brother?

James swore to himself that he was going to find out...

* * *

 **Ooo, what do you think about that, huh? Very happy to have gotten my first review. Keep reading!**


	11. Diagon Alley

Al didn't really know how to act around Scorpius anymore. A week had passed since that day when Scorpius had brought the boy home from the tent, and still everytime Al made eye contact with Scorpius he felt heat rush into his face, and he remembered the time in his room, Scorpius' warm, hard body against him, and his lips...

Scorpius watched with interest as Al looked into his eyes, blushed and looked away. Al shook his head, looking embarrassed, and inwardly Scorpius smirked a little. He couldn't read minds, but if he had to guess, Scorpius would say that Al was remembering that heated time on his bed. Scorpius liked the thought of Al not being able to get him out of his mind...

Scorpius had been on his best behavior, a little sheepish about how carried away he had gotten. Al was the same as ever, except he seemed to blush much more frequently now, and he was a little quieter. Scorpius was worried at first that he may have moved too fast; may have scared Albus off. But by the end of the week Scorpius started to relax, realizing that Al hadn't pulled away from him at all.

There was just a few days until September 1, and Scorpius and the Potters were sitting down to breakfast when there came a tapping at the window. They all looked up to see a handsome brown owl sitting on the window sill. It was quickly joined by another owl, and Scorpius could see two more flying towards the house.

"You're school lists have finally arrived," Ginny exclaimed, going to retrieve the letters from the first two owls. They flew off, making room for the last owls to land. Ginny passed the envolopes around and sat back down, sipping on her coffee as she watched. There was silence as the four kids opened their letters and pulled out their new book lists.

As Scorpius removed the parchments from within his envolope something fell to the table before him. He looked down and saw a small pin shining in the morning light. He picked it up and examined it curiously.

"Oh, Scorpius!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly, "You've been made a prefect! Congratulations!"

Scorpius blinked in surprise, staring at the little pin in his fingers. He glanced at Al, who was smiling happily up at him.

"That's great, Scorpius," Al said brightly, apparently not upset in the slightest that he hadn't also received a pin, "I knew you'd be picked! You're one of the best students in our year!"

Scorpius looked back at his pin, still shocked. He had forgotten that prefects were picked in fifth year, and even if he had remembered, he would never have expected to be picked himself.

"We'll have to do something special for dinner, to celebrate," Ginny said. Scorpius looked up, wanting to protest, but Al spoke first.

"I'll bet Rose got a pin too!" he said happily, "We should invite all of them as well!"

Al's parents and sister all smiled and nodded, watching Al's happy face, but Scorpius noticed that James was scowling down at his eggs.

"We'll have a little party," Harry agreed and Lily clapped beside him.

"Should we go to Diagon Alley today then?" asked Ginny as they finished eating.

"Ooo, yes!" Lily said excitedly, "I want to go to Uncle George's shop!"

Beside Scorpius Al smiled and shook his head a little. When he noticed Scorpius' questioning look he leaned in and whispered, "We always get free stuff at Weasley's Wizard Weezes. Especially Lily. I think she reminds Uncle George of mum, and he always spoils her."

Scorpius smiled. He had almost forgotten that Albus was related to the founder of the popular wizarding joke shop. But of course he knew, Rose was a Weasley after all.

"Scorpius you should let your parents know that you're school list arrived," Ginny said, "and that we'll be going to get you're things, oh, and the good news about you being made a prefect!"

Scorpius was the only one to notice James snort softly, looking cross, and Scorpius pretended he hadn't seen either. He had no ill feeling towards James. If Al was _his_ brother he'd probably react the same way to learning he was friends with a boy from one of the darkest wizarding families around.

"Alright then, we'll leave as soon as you're all ready," said Ginny as she started clearing the table.

"I'm staying here," James stated bluntly. Ginny looked at him.

"You don't want to come, James?"

"No." Scorpius saw James' eyes flick his way and he understood the rest of the boy's sentence would have been, ' _not if_ he's _coming'._ Scorpius continued to feign ignorance, pretending he hadn't noticed James' eyes briming with dislike. He hoped someday James would come to trust him. Because he sure as hell wasn't leaving Al's side. Not as long as the boy wanted him there.

About forty minutes later Scorpius was spinning to a stop in the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldren, dusting ash off himself as he stepped out into the old bar. He didn't even have to wait a minute before a burst of green flames announced Al's arrival. The boy stumbled as he came to a stop and Scorpius caught him, helping him out of the grate.

"Thank you," Al mumbled, his cheeks turning the now familiar shade of pink. Another green blaze behind them was Lily, who also stumbled and nearly fell as she stopped spinning. Scorpius caught her as well, steadying her as she exited the fireplace.

"Thanks," she said with a bright grin, dusting herself off, "I'm so clumbsy, I always fall when I travel by Floo Powder. Al too!"

Al smiled at Lily and gave her a playful shove.

"You're way clumbsier then I am!"

"What? No I'm not!" she said laughingly, pushing Albus back. Scorpius chuckled with them.

"Don't worry, I had to stop Al from falling too," he told Lily with a wink, and Al blushed while she giggled. Then Lily glanced over at the fire, which was burning small and orange.

"I wonder what's taking mum so-" But before she could finish her sentence the fire shot upwards and turned emerald. Ginny spun into being in the grate, looking cross.

"Sorry," she said tersly, joining them in the bar, "I was having a word with James."

No one dared ask her anything more as she led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard containing a lone trash can and nothing else. Ginny pulled her wand from her robe pocket and stepped up to the wall that the trash can sat against. She tapped the tip of the wand to the special brick that opened the entrance to Diagon Alley.

The familiar racket of sound met their ears as they stepped through the archway to the packed street beyond. The wall closed behind them.

"Shall we get your books first?" Ginny said and they all agreed, making their way down the crowded lane until they reached Flourish and Blotts. Thirty minutes later they left the store with the few new books they had needed.

"We should get refills for your potion kits next-"

"Oh mum, couldn't we go to Uncle George's while you do that? Pleeease?"

Ginny looked down at her daughter and frowned.

"By yourselves? I don't know."

"We'll keep and eye on Lily, mum," Al said quickly, "and we won't go anywhere else."

Ginny's eyes passed ever her kids' hopeful faces and she sighed.

"Oh, alright, but be careful."

"Thanks mum!" said Lily happily, and she grabbed Al's hand and started off down the street. Ginny looked at Scorpius as he made to follow.

"Watch out for them," she told him quietly, and Scorpius smiled reasuringly.

"Of course, Mrs. Potter, always."

She smiled at him and he hurried after Al and Lily, a little perplexed as too why she had seemed so worried. The three wound through the crowd until they stood before the brightest shop in Diagon Alley. Scorpius had always loved Weasleys' Wizard Weezes, he didn't know anyone who didn't. The windows were filled with an assortment of goods that jumped, shrieked, popped, hovered, and sparked, and the effect was eyewateringly bright and chaotic. Lily lead the way inside, where it was packed wall to wall with customers.

"I hope Uncle George is here," Lily said, craning her neck around as she looked about the large shop.

"He probably is," Al replied, "Come on, let's go ask."

This time Al took the lead, and the three pushed their ways to the counter in the middle of the store. Three employees in magenta robes stood before registers behind the counter, and a fourth witch with blond hair stood at the end of the line of cashiers, filling out a form on her clipboard. She had a large pin on her robes that read Manager.

"five hundred more boxes of Nosebleed nugget, three hundred boxes of Patented Daydream Charms, Pimple Vanisher, that has been flying off the shelves..." the witch was mumbling as they approached.

"Hello Verity!" Lily said brightly and Verity looked up from her clipboard.

"Lily!" she exclaimed with a smile, then she spotted Al standing close behind the girl, "And Albus too!"

"Hello, Verity, how are you?"

"Very good. Very busy. Good and busy! Looking for Mr. Weasley, are you?"

Lily and Albus nodded.

"Let me just give him a call then, dearies."

Verity tilted her head towards her manager button and placed a finger to it.

"Mr. Weasley, you have some visitors at the counter."

" _Thank you Verity, I'll be right there_ ," George Weasley's voice said from the pin.

"Lily! Albus! Welcome, welcome!" said George in person a minute or so later, moving forward to give his neice and nephew hugs.

"Getting your Hogwarts things are you? Where's Ginny then?"

"She went to buy our potions things, but I wanted to come see you right away!" Lily said sweetly.

"But of course you did," exclaimed George fondly, "I have some new products to show my best customer!"

Scorpius and Albus trailed behind as George lead Lily through the shop. Al leaned in to say something to Scorpius in a lowered voice.

"Lily loves pranks."

"Really?" said Scorpius, looking up at the back of the small girl's red head. She did seem rather mischievous, but he hadn't known that she liked practical jokes. Scorpius had found, over the time he had spent in the Potter house, that he enjoyed Lily very much.

"Take a look at this," George was saying to Lily, holding up a tiny turquiose bottle, "A drop of this in someone's drink and everything they say will come out as opra singing for the next thirty minutes or so." Lily's eyes were sparkling as they took in the little bottle.

"I see you're intrigued. Here," he placed the vial in her hand, "use it well, my dear! And here's some more of our newest products." He indicated the section of shelves behind him, and Lily approached it excitedly. Then George looked back towards Albus and seemed to notice Scorpius for the first time.

"Hello, who's this?"

"This is my friend, Scorpius. He's staying with us until school starts."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Weasley," Scorpius said with a small smile, holding out his hand, "I've always loved this store."

"Ah, a man with good taste I see!" George said boisterously, shaking Scorpius' hand, "Just goes to show you, sometimes the apple falls a great distance from the tree, rolls away and drops off a cliff."

Scorpius laughed abruptly, and instantly felt a little guilty; not very guilty though...

"I went to school with your dad, you know," George continued, "jumped up, arrogent little weasel, he was. Never liked him. No offence."

"None taken," assured Scorpius seriously, trying not to smile, "It's a common view I came to terms with quite some time ago. I wouldn't call you wrong, Sir." George laughed and patted Scorpius' shoulder.

"Good man! I like him, Al," George said to Albus, "Heard you two were friends, and now I can see why." He turned back to Scorpius.

"Why were you placed in Slytherin, huh? You dont seem the sort."

Scorpius smiled, a little sadly.

"I wouldn't let the hat put me anywhere but Slytherin," Scorpius anwered, "I was afraid my parents would disown me if I was placed anywhere else."

Scorpius looked at Al, who was watching him intently.

"I regret it, now," Scorpius continued quietly, a crooked smile on his lips, "I should have stopped caring what they think a long time ago."

"Ah, well," said George with an exaggerated shrug, "better late than never! Come on then boys, I'll give you the tour, a few things have changed."

They left Lily and walked around the shop, George pointing out different new products as they went.

"New quills that make you write three times faster than normal; here's some galoshes that let you walk up walls! Oh, and look, just in, toenail toffee. It'll make your toenails grow three feet long!

They came upon a shockingly pink section filled with the famous WonderWitch products. Al stepped up to a wide topless cage and smiled down at the small puff balls rolling around at the bottom of it, making little, high-pitched squeaks. There were more different colored ones then Al had seen the last time he was here. Originally the tiny Pygmy Puffs had come in only two colors; pink and purple. Over the years George had bred more colors, so that now there were yellow, red, grass green, baby blue, grey, and neon orange ones too.

"I hear you've been feeling down, as of late, Al," George said as he eyed Albus. Al looked up from the cage, blushing slightly.

"Here," George continued with a grin. He bent down and scooped up one of the Pygmy Puffs, a particulary small, powder blue one, and plopped it in Al's hand.

"This little guy has seemed gloomy recently, probably sad watching all his friends getting picked before him." George shook his head, looking grim. Al looked in surprise at the tiny puff ball in his hands, which was squeaking excitedly and quivering.

"You can't put him back now, look how excited he is!"

Scorpius smiled at Al's shocked face and stepped over to him, examining the blue poof ball for himself.

"He's cute," Scorpius said quietly, raising a finger and gently stroking the Pygmy Puff. The fluff ball vibrated and seemed to hum happily.

"Your uncle's right, you know, you've got to take him now, imagine how dissapointed he'd be if you left him here." Behind Scorpius George nodded solemly. Al looked between them and back down at the ball in his hand.

"I can really have him?" Al asked quietly.

"Of course! He'd be so upset if you didn't! Don't worry, they're quite easy to care for, eat about anything, so you can just feed him scraps from the table; very sturdy, despite their size."

George preceded to equipt Al with a cage, a bag of treats, (bogie flavored), and a tiny brush and some sand, (they loved sand baths). Al put everything in the new cage, the baby blue Pygmy Puff humming happily on his shoulder.

"What are you going to name him?" Scorpius asked, smiling down at the sight of the boy with the little puff ball beside his cheek. Al blinked.

"I don't know," Al said as he lifted the Pygmy Puff off his shoulder and held him up before his face, "Hmm, what to call you..." The puff ball spun in a happy circle, it's tiny feet tickling the palm of Al hand as it squeaked. Al giggled.

"You're a silly little thing. Just a fluffy little poof," Al grinned, scratching the little creature with one finger under it's chin. "Floof. I'm going to name him Floof."

"Floof?" Scorpius repeated, the corner of his mouth twitching, "I like it. It suits him."

Scorpius gave Floof another scratch and the creature hummed contentedly. Al smiled and put Floof back on his shoulder, where it nuzzled beneath Al's hair, against the boy's neck. Al giggled as it tickled him.

Most people would have thought it strange; George giving a boy a fluffy little poof ball to cheer him up. But Scorpius thought it was brilliant. Albus was beyond cute with the powder blue creature riding on his shoulder, though of course he had no idea, and Scorpius thought the sweet Pygmy Puff the perfect pet for such a gentle person. So what if it wasn't very masculine?

"What's that you have there?" asked Ginny when she found them twenty minutes later.

"I've given Al a Pygmy Puff," George told her, "poor thing was so depressed he hadn't been picked yet, I just couldn't bear to see it suffer any longer!"

Ginny leaned in to examine Floof.

"I had one when I was a girl, one of the first your Uncles ever bred. His name was Arnold," said Ginny, smiling reminisently.

"So it's ok if I keep him?" Al's face was suddenly anxious, worried that his mother might not let him keep the little puff ball.

"Yes, it's ok. What have you named him?"

"Floof."

"Floof?"

"Yes, like fluff and poof."

Ginny smiled and pet the humming creature on Al's shoulder.

"It's a good name."

Al smiled as Lily joined them, her arms overflowing with boxes. Ginny looked at her brother in exasperation, and he merely shrugged, grinning. Scorpius couldn't help but smile too; he really loved this family. He couldn't remember ever being happier than he was with Al and these people. He found himself wishing wistfully that they were _his_ family too...


	12. Late Christmas

Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo came over for dinner, Rose already wearing her shiny new prefect's badge.

"I knew it," exclaimed Al when he saw her, grinning broadly, "I knew you'd get a pin too!"

Scorpius was amazed by Al; at his complete lack of jealousy. Albus wasn't the kind of person to get upset over what he didn't have. Instead he was truly happy for the people who had more than him. He was content just to see the other person happy.

This made Scorpius even angrier with Rosier; had the older boy any idea of the pure soul he had maimed on his road to revenge? It was like kicking a puppy who had been happy to see you; sick and twisted and unforgivable...

Scorpius tried to push his feelings of hatred aside and enjoy himself. Al was actually smiling, and laughing, and Rose was there, and the rest of their family. And despite Scorpius' preoccupation with Rosier he was still having a great time. He was sad when the night grew late and the party ended.

* * *

"Scorpius?"

Scorpius looked up from where he was sitting on his cot in Al's room the next morning, reading. Al was currently in the shower. Ginny stood in the doorway, a laundry basket of clean, folded clothes in her hands. Scorpius set aside his book and stood up.

"Yes, Mrs. Potter?"

Ginny stepped into the room and walked over to the bed, placing the basket on it and beginning to make piles of clean robes, socks and underwear. Her face seemed drawn.

"Is something wrong, Mrs. Potter?" Scorpius asked quietly, and Ginny looked up with a frown.

"Well... I've done laundry..."

Scorpius waited, very confused. Ginny sighed, looking worn.

"I got Al's dirty things from his trunk," she continued wearily, "And I saw every one of his Christmas presents still unopened..."

Scorpius blinked as pain shot through his chest. Ginny watched him sadly, his hurt reflected in her warm, brown eyes.

"Could you please... Convince him to open them?" she asked quietly, "One of them was a very important gift from his father. One I think he may find... useful." She grimaced slightly, staring at Scorpius with questioning eyes. He knew that it killed her not knowing what was going on with Al, but still she didn't ask Scorpius to tell her. She respected Al too much.

Scorpius hated hiding things from her.

"I'll make him open them," he assured her softly, "Don't worry."

She smiled sadly at him and nodded, her face still shadowed. Scorpius was overwhelmed with the need say more; to assure her that Al would be alright.

"Mrs. Potter," he said quietly, "I will look after your son for the rest of my life."

Ginny's eyes widened as she stared up at Scorpius in surprise.

"I'm going to protect him, and try to make him smile everyday. Because-" his voice cracked and he swallowed, beginning to feel embarrassed, "because... He deserves it. Your son is the best person I've ever met. He didn't give a damn that I'm a Malfoy, even after all the terrible things my family has done... He was my very first friend..."

He trailed off, Ginny still staring at him, at a loss for words. Scorpius cleared his throat, feeling awkward now.

"So, yeah- I promise he'll get better. So please, try not to worry..." He fell silent. Ginny remained quiet for a few long moments, gazing intently up at the fifteen year old before her. Scorpius had to resist the urge to fidget under her searching stare. Finally she sighed again, picking up the now half empty laundry basket. She turned to Scorpius with a weary smile, an oddly knowing glint in her eyes.

"Thank you," she said quietly, "I know Al will be alright. Especially if you're there to help him." She gave Scorpius a look that made him feel like she knew how he felt about her son. And after an outburst like he had just had, who wouldn't have guessed? Al wouldn't have, Scorpius thought, and he nearly smiled.

Ginny left and Scorpius sat down on the edge of Al's bed, feeling suddenly drained. Al hadn't opened any of his Christmas presents. Why? Did he not feel like he deserved them?

Again Scorpius was consumed by guilt and rage. It was his fault Al had been attacked, and he still hadn't made Rosier pay...

* * *

Al walked into his room, his hair still wet, to find Scorpius sitting on his bed, staring into space with a frustrated expression on his face. Scorpius looked up as Al entered the room, his frustrated look turning into a soft smile as he saw Al. Albus felt his cheeks warm as Scorpius looked at him and he dropped his gaze, his eyes falling on the piles of clean clothes on his bed. Scorpius noticed where he was looking and his smile faded.

"Al," Scorpius said, "come here."

Al stopped, suddenly nervous. Scorpius gazed at him steadily, and beckoned him forward. Slowly, Al walked towards him, until he stood before Scorpius, still sitting on the bed watching him, his face serious.

Scorpius reached out and wrapped his hand around Al's wrist, pulling the boy gently down towards him. Al's breath caught in his throat, his heart beating quicker in his chest. Scorpius' blue eyes were piercing him, making his skin tingle.

"You never opened your Christmas presents," Scorpius' low voice slid over Al, making him shiver slightly.

"W-what?" Al stammered breathlessly, his mind buzzing.

"Your Christmas presents. You never opened them."

Al swallowed, realizing what Scorpius was saying at last. How had he found out? Al blinked and lowered his eyes again, shame burning in his cheeks. He heard Scorpius sigh.

"Well. Better late than never." Scorpius released Albus's wrist and stood up, brushing against Al as he did so. Fire erupted inside Albus at the feel of Scorpius' body against his, and then Scorpius was walking away, towards Al's trunk, and Al took a steadying breath.

"Here," Scorpius said, and Al looked up to see him holding out a colorfully wrapped package, "Start with this one, it's from Rosie."

Al took the present with slightly trembling fingers, hesitating a moment before he carefully ripped it open. It was a brand new quill set; one that had automatic spell check, one that changed color as you wrote, one that made your writing neater.

The next present was from his Uncle George; a large box of Weasley's Wizard Weezes products.

The next was from his Grandma and Grandpa Weasley; A blue knit sweater and an old fashioned muggle cellphone.

Scorpius kept passing him presents, watching as Al opened each one.

"This one next."

Al took the rectangular gift and read the tag. It was from Scorpius. Al opened it slowly. It was a book. **Curious Cave Dwelling Creatures**. It was about magical creatures that lived in the deepest parts of remote caves across the world. Al felt his eyes grow hot, and blinked back tears, remembering the day when he had told Scorpius about the book he had finished about magical cave fungi, and Scorpius had teased him.

"Thank you..." Al said quietly, caressing the cover of the book.

"There's one more."

Scorpius handed Al the last package, which was soft and misshapen after it's long stay in Albus' trunk. When Al ripped the paper back something silvery grey and fluid slid over his fingers. Al grasped the thing and held it up. It was a cloak, strange to the touch, like water woven into cloth. Al's eyes widened as he realized what it was.

"It's my dad's invisibility cloak!" he said in shock, gazing in wonder at the cloak in his hands.

"What?" Scorpius asked curiously, leaning in to get a better look at the silvery cloak.

"My dad's invisibility cloak! It's one of the three Deathly Hallows; the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. I can't believe he's given it to me."

The two boys stared at the cloak together, both in awe.

"The Deathly Hallows? I've never heard of them... Aren't they the same as the three gifts from Death in the story of the Three Brothers?" Albus nodded.

"Yes, it's not just a children's tale, the three brothers were real. I'm descended from the youngest brother; this was his cloak... It's been passed down through our family forever. I thought for sure that James would be the one..."

Al looked up at Scorpius, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Why give it to me?" he whispered, still in shock. Scorpius' face softened into a sad smile as he gazed back at Al.

"Your father must have thought you would use it best. Is it really so hard to believe?"

Al blinked and blushed, dropping his eyes back to the cloak. It was hard to believe. He didn't feel he deserved such a treasure. He wasn't strong, or heroic. Maybe that's why his father had given the cloak to him. Because he was the one most likely to need to hide...

* * *

Scorpius saw a shadow move over Al's face as he stared at the Invisibility Cloak. He was thinking something silly again, like how he wasn't good enough. Slowly, Scorpius reached out and placed his hand to Al's cheek. The boy looked up, and their eyes locked, and something within Scorpius growled lowly. He just couldn't resist the temptation of the boy any longer.

"I'm going to kiss you," he whispered, and Al's cheeks flushed red. But he didn't tell Scorpius no, and he didn't pull away. He just stared up at Scorpius with those wide, beautiful, emerald eyes, his lips slightly parted, his breathing shaky.

Scorpius bent forward and pressed his lips slowly to Al's. The small boy shivered, and the animal inside Scorpius growled again, demanding more. Carefully, Scorpius removed the cloak from Al's hands and placed it aside, his lips never leaving the boy's. He tried to stay as gentle as he could, but after a few moments a tiny moan escaped Al and heat flared up inside Scorpius. His mouth pressed hungrily against the boy's, his tongue forcing entry into his mouth as he pressed against him, until Al was on his back beneath Scorpius, gasping.

Al's body burned beneath Scorpius', his heart beating frantically in his chest. Scorpius' hand closed around his wrist, the other was trailing up beneath his shirt. Al gasped as Scorpius' fingers found his nipple, his thumb rubbing a circle around it. Al's back arched and Scorpius growled against his mouth, pressing his body down onto Al's.

Al felt Scorpius rub against him stiffly, in that place between his legs that drew another moan from his lips. Al could feel himself growing in response, and his cheeks burned. Scorpius' hand was moving down his side, to the small of his back, pushing the boy more firmly against his hard body.

Albus whimpered and Scorpius' lips left his, sliding roughly over his jaw, to his ear. Al shuddered, and their members pressed against each other through their clothes. Scorpius' tongue slid around Al's ear as his hand left the boy's back and cupped his butt.

"S-Scorpius-!" Al gasped, his back arching again. Scorpius groaned, his lips finding Al's. Then he was pulling off Al's shirt and tossing it aside, his mouth trailing down the boy's slender neck, down his collar bone, and then to his nipple. Albus' breath came in a shuddered gasp as Scorpius' tongue flitted across his flesh.

Scorpius' hands moved greedily over the boy's skin, one hand slipping around his back, his fingers sliding into Al's pants. Albus squirmed heatedly, feeling Scorpius' hand cup his bare butt and squeeze it tightly. Al cried out and Scorpius froze, panting heavily against the skin of Al's neck.

The boy's cry had brought Scorpius back to his senses. They were in Al's room, right beside his sister's room, surrounded by the boy's family, and Scorpius had Al half undressed beneath him, his hand down the boy's pants. What was he _thinking_?

Scorpius pulled away, holding himself above the sweaty boy on shaky arms. Al gazed up at him with blurry eyes, panting, his lips swollen from Scorpius' crushing kisses. Scorpius swallowed.

"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely, "I got... carried away again..." He continued to stare at Al, desire still pounding through him, but he made himself pull away. He slid off the bed and stood, his legs feeling weak.

"I think I'll go and take a shower too" Scorpius said, his voice lower than usual. He gathered a change of clothes and his towel and left the room, leaving Al winded and trembling on the bed.

Al took a deep breath and sat up, his mind fuzzy. The front of his pants still felt uncomfortably tight, and Al's already warm cheeks grew hotter still. He was horribly embarrassed by how his body had just responded to Scorpius; he didn't understand what was wrong with him, why he had made those strange sounds, or why he couldn't think and could hardly breathe...

Al's eyes fell on the silvery invisibility cloak, crumpled at the foot of his bed. Across his room Floof squeaked within his cage, spinning in circles before his empty bowl. Slowly Albus stood and went over to the cage, opening it and offering the Pygmy Puff his hand. Floof climbed happily into it, humming, and Al smiled at it shakily, stroking it with one finger.

"Would you like something to eat?" Al asked Floof quietly, and it squeaked in response. As Al fed the puff ball some peanuts his mind wandered. Soon they would be back at Hogwarts, and Scorpius wouldn't be around constantly anymore. Al would have to sleep in Ravenclaw dormitory without him. He had gotten used to Scorpius being around; his slow breathing at night; his soft smile the first thing to greet Al in the morning...

Al was afraid of going back to school; of having to part ways with Scorpius. If only Scorpius was in Ravenclaw too...

* * *

Inside the upstairs bathroom Scorpius stood within the shower, cold water falling down upon him. One more day and he would be back at Hogwarts, no longer sharing a room with Al. It would be easier to resist the boy, with so much time apart before them. It would be easier to control himself, surrounded by teachers and other students. Al would be in one of the highest towers; Scorpius deep beneath the school...

Scorpius groaned, leaning his forehead against the shower wall. He was still standing at attention, still excited, his body still yearning for Al's. He entertained the idea of touching himself, to relieve himself somewhat of the desire that still gripped him, but he resisted. It just wouldn't be the same. He needed Al too badly to be content with his own hands.

Just one more day and they'd be back at Hogwarts. It would be easier there...

* * *

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